True Love
by babybunnie7935
Summary: Harry enjoys his summer, spending most of it at 'The Burrow' with Hermione and Ron. The train to Hogwarts is intercepted and taken to a place none of the students have ever been. Harry and Cho's relationship gets stronger as Ron falls for Hermione
1. Owl Post

Heh, this is my first Harry Potter fan fic so please be gentle. I absolutely love reading the books and decided it was high time to write a fic.  
  
STORY:  
  
Privet Drive was always silent at four in the morning. This morning, however, one of the inhabitants on number four was restless. Harry Potter was pacing his bedroom, pausing every so often looking out of the window. The Dursley's were all still asleep; Harry could hear Dudley snoring loudly from the next room.  
  
As he stopped to look out of the window once more, he saw the black silhouette slowly enlarging as it neared. Hedwig landed on the window with the letter tied to her leg. Harry smiled and stroked the snowy owls stomach as he untied the letter from her leg. Hedwig nipped his hand affectionately and spread her large wings again, flying to her cage for a good long nap. Harry sat on his bed and ripped open the letter.  
  
Harry,  
Mum wants you to come over for the rest of the holiday, ask the muggles if you're allowed to stay. We'll come and pick you up Friday at three. Dad said we shouldn't use Floo Powder again so we'll be coming in dad's new flying car. Mum's not best pleased but dad promised he wouldn't let any of us even touch it so it stays locked up in the garage most of the time.  
Fred and George being as annoying as usual and Percy's so wrapped up in work he'd never come home if he had the choice. Ginny and mum can't wait for you to come round and Charlie's stopping around for a bit.  
See you Friday.  
Ron.  
  
Harry laughed gleefully at the letter. He wouldn't let the Dursley's keep him from spending the rest of the holiday at 'The Burrow'. The closer he was to the wizarding world, the better. Hedwig hooted sleepily at him as he made his way over to the desk. Switching on the lamp, he pulled out a fresh page of parchment from the drawer and began scribbling a note to Ron.  
  
Something small and feathery hit him around the head. He looked up to see Pig flying rapidly in circles around the light shade. Harry smiled and grabbed him pulling off the note attached to his leg. Pig hooted happily in Harry's hand and fluttered onto the desk to watch him.  
  
Harry,  
I dunno whether you got the other letter but dad cant pick you up on Friday, we're coming on Thursday instead, have all your stuff ready wont you? Dad's got to get back home to go to do some extra shifts at the Ministry.  
Sorry for any inconvenience.  
Ron.  
  
Harry looked at his watch. It was now five in the morning. Uncle Vernon would be waking up soon for another boring day at Grunnings, his company that made drills, and Aunt Petunia would be ready for another day, peering out of the window through next doors sweet peas.  
  
Looking around his room, Harry spotted the photo he had framed. It was his dad and his best friend from Hogwarts, Sirius Black. Harry picked the photo up and looked down at the pair. As it was a wizard's photo, the people in it moved. Harry's dad, James Potter, had his arm around Sirius' shoulders, and Sirius was smiling and waving up at Harry.  
  
Pig hooted at Harry, who looked back at the tiny owl, who was now hopping along the table and back again. Harry put the photo down and put Pig into Hedwig's cage. An alarm sounded, distantly, closely followed by a grunt. Harry knew Uncle Vernon was awake. He shut the window and walked to the door.  
  
Vernon's heavy footfalls came closer to Harry's room. Harry darted across the room and scooped up the two letters, shoving them in his pockets just as Uncle Vernon opened the door. Vernon surveyed the room closely before noticing Pig hooting happily away to himself in Hedwig's cage.  
  
"Where did that come from?" He grunted to Harry.  
  
"Uh, he's Ron's, he must've got lost on his way home." Harry replied quickly.  
  
"Right..." Vernon stated eyeing Harry suspiciously. "Get downstairs and make Dudley breakfast."  
  
"Why?" Harry asked looking annoyed.  
  
"Move." Vernon whispered, pupils dilating rapidly.  
  
Harry decided it best not to argue and scooted out of the room. He ran down the stairs two at a time and jumped the last five steps. Skidding into the dining room he saw the large tawny owl sitting on the back of the armchair. He picked up the letter it had dropped on the floor and dug around in his pocket eventually pulling out a handful of coins.  
  
He put two sickles into the pouch on the owl's leg and watched it soar out of the open window. Looking back at the letter, he knew it was a Hogwarts letter. Harry would be starting his sixth year this September, and frankly, he was looking forward to it. Remembering he was supposed to be making breakfast he ran into the kitchen and began throwing random objects out of the fridge. Dudley was still following the diet. Harry was forced to eat the same diet, even though he didn't need to be any skinnier than that he was.  
  
Cutting up a grapefruit into segments, he pulled a handful of grapes off of the vine and threw them into a bowl along with the grapefruit. Cutting strawberries into little pieces and threw them into the bowl as well. Going back to the fridge he pulled out a bottle of apple juice and poured some of it into the bowl. Grabbing a spoon he began mixing the fruit salad around adding bits and pieces here and there.  
  
The great thump on the stairs told him Dudley was on his way down. He pulled out a handful of bowls from a cupboard and placed them on the table before grabbing the bowl of fruit salad and putting it in the center of the table. The next second Dudley came into view, though he was a bit hard to miss.  
  
Dudley, even though he had been following the strict diet for nearly a year now, was now bigger than ever. Instead of the five chins Harry remembered there were now seven and the Dursley's had to invest in a new table just to fit Dudley at it.  
  
"What's that?" Dudley asked grumpily eyeing the fruit salad.  
  
"Fruit salad." Harry replied, now setting the table with small forks and spoons.  
  
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia came downstairs and looked at the fruit salad. Vernon sighed and sat down. Petunia sat on one side of him, and Dudley, the other. Harry left the room quickly to answer the phone.  
  
"Hello, Dursley household, Harry speaking." Harry said automatically.  
  
"Harry its Hermione."  
  
"Oh, hi." Harry said cheering up a bit.  
  
"Are you invited to Ron's for the summer?"  
  
"Yeah, he's picking me up this afternoon."  
  
"Great! I'll see you at 'The Burrow' then?"  
  
"Yep, see you later."  
  
"See you." Hermione replied.  
  
Harry heard the faint click of the receiver being replaced and a buzzing. Harry replaced his receiver and looked back into the dining room. The Dursleys were all watching him tentatively.  
  
"I forgot to tell you, I'm going to Ron's at three today. He's coming to get me."  
  
"He better not be using that blooming powder stuff again." Vernon replied angrily. Obviously he had not forgotten the incident two years before where the Weasley's had collected Harry for the Quidditch World Cup.  
  
Dudley looked up, horrified, from is bowl of fruit salad. Evidently he hadn't forgotten the Ton-Tongue Toffee Fred and George Weasley had left him. His tongue had become four feet long before Mr. Weasley was allowed to shrink it again.  
  
Harry laughed at Dudley's expression and didn't answer Uncle Vernon's question. He ran up the stairs two at a time making the chandelier above the kitchen table rattle. Shut in his room, Harry pulled his trunk out from the heap of covers at the foot of his bed. Opening it he threw all sorts of wizarding things inside. Last Christmas Hermione had bought him a set of Gobstones, Harry threw this in the trunk too. Ron had given him a seriously cool present, to go with the book he had given his three years ago, a poster of the Quidditch team flying around, playing their own game of Quidditch.  
  
Finally after an hour of packing, Harry woke up Hedwig and Pig. The pair flew out of the window, heading for Ron's house. Harry watched them out of sight and picked up the photo of his dad and godfather again.  
  
Sighing he ran his fingers over his father's features and threw it in the trunk on top of everything. Slamming the lid of the truck closed, Harry sat on is with his head in his hands. Something sharp dug into his side, he pulled the Hogwarts letter out of his jeans pocket and ripped it open.  
  
Dear Mr. Potter, Please note school resumes on the 1st September. You will find enclosed a permission form to visit the village of Hogsmeade and a list of your new schoolbooks that will be needed. The Hogwarts Express will leave Kings Cross at 11 o'clock. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress  
  
Harry looked at the next letter that was enclosed. The Hogsmeade form fell out onto the floor. Harry picked it up and sighed. The Dursleys would never let him go. They never liked him to be happy for one but since he had blown up his Aunt Marge three years ago they thought he was something dirty stuck to the bottom of their shoe. This, at least, was better than being ignored totally.  
  
Looking back at the letter with his books on he read through the list.  
  
New books needed:  
  
The Standard Book of Spells (grade 6) by Miranda Goshawk  
  
Unfogging the Future (grade 2) by Cassandra Vablatsky  
  
Expert Transfiguration  
  
Books needed (from first year):  
  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
  
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
  
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore  
  
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander  
  
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble  
  
The door opened. Dudley walked in followed by Piers, Dudley's best friend. Harry looked at them with an estranged smile on his face. Dudley saw Harry pull the end of his wand out of his pocket and left the room without a word, Piers sidling after him.  
  
Lying back onto the bed, Harry stared up at the ceiling. Within minutes he was bored and sat up again. Lying flat on his stomach, he pulled up the loose floorboard under his bed and pulled out the old pillowcase full of knickknacks.  
  
Opening the pillowcase he pulled out the old photo album and flicked onto the page that had a picture of his parent's wedding day on it. Sirius was visible laughing along with his parents. A surge of anger filled him. If Voldemort hadn't chosen his family, his parents would still be alive and he would be living with them. Now Voldemort was back, having regained his power from faithful servant, Wormtail, he was after Harry again.  
  
Looking at his watch, he saw it was ten to twelve. Time had flow by without Harry's noticing. Aunt Petunia's voice floated up the stairs to him and he threw the pillowcase into his trunk. Picking up the picture of his father and Sirius again, he pocketed it before closing his trunk, belting it shut and running down the stairs two at a time again.  
  
"Boy, we're going out. You touch anything or we come back to find anything out of place, you'll be spending a lifetime in that cupboard and wont ever go back to that school to learn more magic tricks." Vernon spat as Harry entered the living room.  
  
"Fine." Harry replied coldly.  
  
Vernon opened the door and Petunia and Dudley walked outside. Vernon gave Harry one more searching look before closing the door and locking it tightly behind him.  
  
"Yes!" Harry hissed as he watched the Dursleys leave Privet Drive.  
  
He ran to the cupboard under the stairs and picked the lock. Grabbing the remainder of his schoolbooks he ran back upstairs and threw them in his reopened trunk. Running back downstairs he grabbed the remote and slouched in front of the television.  
  
Itching to perform some magic, Harry only just managed not to draw a chocolate donut out of mid air. Instead he switched off the T.V and ran back into his room. Pulling open his wardrobe he pulled out his two most treasured possessions, an invisibility cloak he had inherited from his father and his Firebolt, from Sirius.  
  
Pulling the invisibility cloak around his shoulders, he disappeared from neck down. A wicked thought came into his head. The Dursleys knew nothing of his invisibility cloak. What fun could he have on their return? He didn't have long to find out. The door slammed shut and Uncle Vernon's voice echoed up the stairs.  
  
"BOY!" Vernon shouted.  
  
"I'm in my room." Harry shouted back.  
  
"Get down here." Vernon boomed.  
  
Harry pulled the invisibility cloak over his head and laughed softly to himself. Opening the door he ran down the stairs and walked into the living room. The Dursleys were sitting in front of the television. Harry rubbed his hands together and walked over to the T.V. He knew the Dursleys could see right through him so he stood in front of the television and pressed the power button. The screen went black strait away.  
  
Harry smiled mischievously at the Dursleys, of course they couldn't see this, and walked over to the fridge. He opened the door and slammed it shut again. To his delight all three Dursleys were horrified. Harry walked over behind Dudley and poked him hard in the back of the head. Dudley yelped in surprise and Harry moved away from them.  
  
"BOY!" Vernon roared.  
  
None of the Dursleys were looking at him so Harry pulled the invisibility cloak off quickly and sat on a small table behind them.  
  
"Yes?" Harry asked innocently.  
  
All three Dursleys spun round to look at him. He looked back without giving anything away.  
  
"Strange that wasn't it? Did you see the fridge door open?" Harry asked, looking, what he hoped was, confused.  
  
"You." Vernon whispered, nostrils flaring.  
  
"Me? I've been sitting here for the last five minutes."  
  
"Course."  
  
"Oh Uncle Vernon, I need you to sign my Hogsmeade permission form."  
  
"And why should I do that?"  
  
"Oh, I just might ask Sir Nicholas to come and visit you, or Peeves."  
  
"Who are they?" Petunia whispered.  
  
"Oh, Sir Nick is the ghost for Gryffindor and Peeves is a Poltergeist." Harry said casually.  
  
The Dursleys looked horrified.  
  
"So, you'll sign it?"  
  
"Give me this ruddy form." Vernon said looking beaten.  
  
Harry's heart leapt as he ran up the stairs for the third time that morning. Retrieving the Hogsmeade form and his eagle feather quill he ran back downstairs and handed them to Uncle Vernon. Looking oddly at the quill, Vernon took it and signed his name on the dotted line. Shoving both the quill and the form into Harry's hands.  
  
"Weren't you supposed to go to work today Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked politely.  
  
"Ruddy bunch, phoned up this morning to say I wasn't needed. What's it to you?"  
  
"No reason. I'm gonna get ready for when Ron's dad comes."  
  
Without another glance at the Dursleys Harry ran back upstairs and took another good look around his room. There were no wizarding things he had left stranded, apart from the invisibility cloak.  
  
"Damn!"  
  
Harry ran down stairs again and grabbed the invisibility cloak. Vernon put a fist on the tail of the cloak and wrenched it out of Harry's grip. Smiling wickedly Vernon was about to put the cloak over his shoulders. Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at Dudley.  
  
"Give me that, or I'll hex Dudley." Harry said angrily.  
  
A sheer look of terror spread on both Dudley and Vernon's faces. Bunching up the cloak and throwing it at Harry, Vernon sidestepped into the path of the wand. Harry smiled sarcastically at them and dashed back upstairs. Folding up the invisibility cloak he shoved it in his trunk along with his Firebolt and snapped it shut again.  
  
Peering at his watch, he sighed. Still a whole hour before they were coming. A roaring engine was heard from the street below. Harry peered out of his window and saw the ford screeching around a corner into Privet Drive. Heart leaping Harry ran back down stairs and opened the door.  
  
The ford car pulled up right outside number four. Inside Harry could see five of the Weasleys and Hermione. Hermione opened the door and got out, followed by Ginny, Fred and George.  
  
Fred and George bowed to him before going into number four and up the stairs. Hermione was happy. She ran up to Harry and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"What's that for?" Harry asked, blushing slightly.  
  
"No reason." Hermione replied going pink.  
  
Harry heard the twins puffing away dragging the trunk down stairs. Hedwig's cage was thrown out to Harry, who caught it, and the twins appeared. Mr. Weasley had got out of the car and opened the boot, he helped Fred heave it into the boot and closed it.  
  
"See you." Harry called back to the Dursleys.  
  
None of them replied. Harry closed the door and ran over to the car, squeezing into the back next to Hermione. The car engine roared into life again and jerked forward before doing a three-point turn and heading back down to the end of Privet Drive.  
  
"How you doing Harry?" Ron asked peering around the front seat.  
  
"Fine thanks, you?"  
  
"Can't complain. Mum's a little stressed with those two." Ron replied pointing at Fred and George.  
  
"We took your advice. Bought a little shop in Hogsmeade." Fred whispered to Harry.  
  
"Yeah, Ron's got some nice dress robes now, we bought him midnight blue ones, and managed to create loads of things over the first half of the summer." George whispered, winking at Harry.  
  
"Sounds great!" Harry replied enthusiastically. "What else you invented than?"  
  
"Oh loads of stuff, jelly snakes that bite back,"  
  
"Cockroach clusters which crawl around in your hand,"  
  
"Hundreds of Canary Creams,"  
  
"Edible lipstick,"  
  
"Little bubble gum balls that explode in your mouth,"  
  
"Sugar characters,"  
  
"Yeah, they scream when you eat them."  
  
Fred and George ticked off them list of things on their fingers. Not one of them had noticed that they were flying above the clouds. Hermione was deep in conversation with Ginny, Ron added occasional things to the twin's list and Mr. Weasley was busy driving and didn't say much at all.  
  
Soon the scenery changed, the clouds were breaking and the city was far behind them, within minutes 'The Burrow' was in sight. Mr. Weasley pressed a little silver button on the dashboard and the car sunk beneath the little cloud that was left. Hitting the road with a bump the invisibility booster stopped working at the car was visible again.  
  
Mr. Weasley pulled into 'The Burrow' and stooped the car in the middle of the courtyard. Mrs. Weasley came running out to the car, closely followed by Charlie. 


	2. The Burrow

Second chapter of my Harry Potter fan fic. There's one more person at 'The Burrow' neither Hermione or Harry expected, nor neither are too happy about them being there.  
  
STORY:  
  
Harry got out of the car, closely followed by Hermione and Ginny. Fred and George stayed in the car with Ron and Mr. Weasley to talk about the Ministry. Harry followed Ginny and Hermione into 'The Burrow' and made themselves comfortable at the kitchen table.  
  
"How come there are eleven chairs Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked.  
  
"We have three people staying with us this summer." Mrs. Weasley replied.  
  
"Ginny are you coming upstairs?" The cold voice floated down the stairs.  
  
Harry and Hermione looked up at the first landing to see none other than Draco Malfoy standing there. A wicked smiled played across his face and he walked down the stairs and into the kitchen.  
  
"Hello." He said, a hint of sarcasm went undetected by everyone in the room, except Harry and Hermione.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, forcing his face into a polite smile.  
  
"Molly said I could stay, seeing as Ginny does live here." Malfoy replied coolly.  
  
"Draco, would you mind helping me with the table?" Mrs. Weasley asked from the stove.  
  
"Of course."  
  
Malfoy walked to a draw and pulled out handfuls of cutlery. He laid the table without another word and occasionally smiled at Ginny. Once he had laid the table, he took Ginnys hand and slipped his arm around her waist.  
  
"Me and Ginny are going upstairs for a bit Molly." He said.  
  
"Okay, I'll call you for dinner." Molly replied not looking up at them.  
  
Draco led Ginny upstairs and there was a small thud as the door to Ginny's room closed. Harry looked at Hermione; she looked up at the door to Ginny's room and sighed. Harry stood up and went back into the courtyard. Mr. Weasley had parked the car and two trunks were floating in midair next to the garage.  
  
Opening his trunk he pulled out his invisibility cloak and pulled in over his head. He walked silently back into the house and tapped Hermione on the shoulder. She stood up and the pair walked up the flight of stairs. Hermione disappeared under the cloak. The stood outside Ginny's room, listening tentatively. The door opened and Malfoy walked out. He closed the bathroom door and Harry poked Hermione. Walking close to each other they went into Ginny's room and stood in a corner as not to be walked into.  
  
Malfoy came back in and closed the door. Ginny was sitting on the edge of the bed. Malfoy sat next to her and ran his fingers through her hair. Whispering something into her ear, she blushed as red as her hair. Malfoy leant in and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
Their lips locked and their fingers twined together. Hermione looked at Harry. He put his arm around her shoulders and she turned into his side. Ginny lay back, with Malfoy on top of her and they broke apart. Malfoy's hands left Ginnys and he kissed her again, his fingers undoing the buttons on her blouse.  
  
The door opened and light streamed into the room. Ron was standing in the doorway looking disgusted. He grabbed the back of Malfoy's top and pulled his off his little sister.  
  
"You're a pervert." Ron yelled.  
  
"Keep your hair on Weasel. I wasn't going to hurt your poor little sister." Malfoy sneered.  
  
"Ron you're overreacting!" Ginny shouted at her brother.  
  
Harry decided it was time to leave. He took Hermione's hand and they walked past Ron, who was now pinning Malfoy to the wall, and out of the room. The walked up to the top of the house, where Ron's room was, and closed the door behind them before taking off the cloak.  
  
"I can't believe it, he's more disgusting than I thought." Hermione whispered.  
  
"Tell me about it." Harry replied sitting on Ron's bed.  
  
That moment, Ron came in looking a little green.  
  
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Malfoy. That dirty..."  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"He was taking advantage of Ginny. She thinks I was overreacting..." Ron's voice failed.  
  
He sat next to Harry and shook his head. Hermione looked at them and sighed. She sat on the other side of Harry and peered anxiously at Ron. Mr. Weasley cam in carrying both Hermione's and Harry's trunks. Fred and George were carrying the other ends of them. Noticing Ron's green face, they stayed after Mr. Weasley had left.  
  
"Ron?" Fred asked.  
  
Ron said nothing.  
  
"What's up with him?" George asked Hermione.  
  
"He walked in on Malfoy and Ginny. Apparently Malfoy was taking advantage of Ginny." Hermione answered.  
  
"That little- Right c'mon Fred, let's teach that little git a thing or two." George said, pushing his fist into his hand.  
  
Fred and George left the room. Harry noticed Hedwig and Pig sitting on the windowsill. He got up and let Hedwig walk up his arm onto his shoulder. Stroking her chest he sat down again. Ron was still not talking even when Pig sat on top of his head and twittered loudly.  
  
Dinner was a silent affair, except the small conversation between Percy and Mr. Weasly. Ron wouldn't eat a thing and was still refusing to talk, Fred and George kept rubbing their knuckles and throwing evil looks at Malfoy. Ginny was silent, as she didn't want her mum to find out what had happened.  
  
"Oh for goodness sake what is with everyone?" Molly asked, looking around the table.  
  
"Charlie?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yep?"  
  
"How's Norbert?"  
  
"Yes, how is he?" Hermione asked, joining the conversation.  
  
"He's still getting used to being in a colony but he's getting there." Charlie replied beaming at them.  
  
"Ron said something about dragons didn't you Ron?" Arthur said.  
  
Ron didn't say a thing. He dropped his knife and fork with a clatter and excused himself from the table. Malfoy grinned wickedly at Harry before turning his attention back to the food on his plate.  
  
"Mrs. Weasley, I'm just going to see if Ron's okay." Hermione whispered.  
  
She stood up quickly and ran up the stairs two at a time. Disappearing up the next flight of stairs, Harry drew his eyes away from the stairwell and looked at Fred. George whispered something into Fred's ear and they both glared at Malfoy.  
  
Hermione ran up the last couple of stairs and knocked on Ron's door.  
  
"Ron? Are you okay?" She asked leaning against the door.  
  
Ron didn't answer. She could hear his moving around in the room, but couldn't tell what he was doing. Everything went silent. Hermione slid down the door and sat on the floor. She tried to get Ron to talk to her but he wouldn't.  
  
"Ron, come on, you can't stay in there forever." Hermione said reasonably.  
  
Footsteps approached. Malfoy's blonde head appeared at the top of the stairs. Hermione looked coldly at him before standing up and brushing herself off.  
  
"What do you want?" She asked tonelessly.  
  
"Wanted to see if Weasel was all right." Malfoy sneered.  
  
Hermione shot an evil look at him but it went unnoticed. Malfoy took at step towards her. She smiled sarcastically at him.  
  
"You won't be able to get in there. He's locked himself in."  
  
"As if I wanted to see that little runt anyway. I don't know how a mudblood like you could stand to live here, even if it is for a few weeks." Malfoy smiled wickedly.  
  
Hermione had had enough. She walked up to Malfoy and hit him so hard he fell backwards down the stairs. Ron unlocked his door to see what the commotion was about and saw Hermione bouncing on the balls of her feet biting her fingers.  
  
Peering over the banister he saw Malfoy crumpled on the landing below. Looking at Hermione, he knew she was distraught. Taking her wrist he pulled her away from the stairs and into his room. Closing the door again he looked at her and sighed.  
  
"It's okay." He whispered. Hermione looked up at him.  
  
"You're talking to us again?"  
  
"Yeah. So what did you do?"  
  
"He was being rude about you, your house and he called me a...I had enough and whacked him. I didn't mean to hit him that hard." Hermione whimpered.  
  
"He deserved it. After what he did to Ginny."  
  
"Oh my god. MUM!" Ginny's panicked voice screamed from the floor below them.  
  
Hermione looked at Ron. She burst into tears. Ron sat on the bed next to her and let her cry into his shoulder. He put his arms around her. Footsteps came running up the stairs. Harry appeared in the doorway and looked at Hermione. Gathering what had happened he sat next to Ron.  
  
"She okay?"  
  
"Yeah, just a little shaken."  
  
"He didn't call her a-"  
  
"Yeah, he did."  
  
"Well then...He deserved it didn't he?"  
  
"That's what I said."  
  
Heavier footfalls came up the stairs. Mr. Weasley opened the door and peered around it. Hermione looked at him, her face soaked with tears. He smiled and walked in.  
  
"Hermione, we heard what he called you, we don't blame you for hitting him, but you understand he could be seriously hurt." Mr. Weasley said quietly.  
  
Hermione nodded. Ron looked at her and sighed.  
  
"He deserved it."  
  
"Ron. I'm shocked at you, how could you say such a thing?" Mr. Weasley gasped looking angry.  
  
"I walked in on them...He was...Ginny..." Ron's voice failed again.  
  
Mr. Weasley caught most of what Ron had said and strung two and two together.  
  
"He didn't..."  
  
Ron nodded. Mr. Weasley's face changed from calm to angry within two seconds. He walked out of the room and back down the stairs. Molly had conjured up a stretcher and was busy making sure Malfoy was strapped onto it properly.  
  
"Ginny!" Arthur shouted.  
  
"Arthur! Calm down, what's wrong." Molly asked taken aback by her husband's sudden burst of anger.  
  
"That boy...Has been taking advantage of our daughter in our house." Arthur shouted, spit flying everywhere.  
  
"What?" Molly's face changed from confusion to anger.  
  
Molly looked at Malfoy, then her daughter. Ginny was as red as her hair again and she couldn't maintain eye contact with her mother.  
  
"Is this true?" Molly asked in an exasperated whisper.  
  
Ginny burst into tears and ran down the stairs. Molly and Arthur flinched, as the door slammed closed. Hermione appeared at the top of the stairs. Ron was on one side of her, Harry on the other, they helped her down the stairs.  
  
She collapsed out of shock halfway down the stairs. Harry swept her up into his arms where she lay limp. He carried her down the rest of the stairs, Ron close behind. They walked past Malfoy who was still out cold and Molly followed them down the next three flights of stairs into the kitchen.  
  
Percy and Charlie were talking on the sofa. Harry walked into the room and they both looked at Hermione.  
  
"Put her here Harry." Percy said, getting off the sofa. Charlie followed suit and Harry laid Hermione down on the sofa.  
  
"I'll get the poor dear a drink." Molly whispered.  
  
Arthur came down the stairs after a few minutes. He told Percy and Charlie what had happened. The stared open mouthed at their father.  
  
"Are you sure?" Percy asked, looking at Hermione.  
  
"Ron walked in on them." Arthur replied.  
  
"That little...Mum, why did you let him in here?"  
  
"He always seemed so nice." Molly said her eyes welling with tears.  
  
"He's a Malfoy." Charlie said quietly.  
  
"He's been calling Hermione a mudblood since second year." Ron said shaking with anger.  
  
The whole family gasped. Hermione stirred and looked around, apparently confused as to how she had got to the sofa.  
  
"He didn't call her a mudblood. He's not that type of guy." Ginny whispered from the first floor.  
  
Silent tears slid down Hermione's face. Nobody noticed except Harry. He smiled weakly at her and looked back at the Weasley's.  
  
"When are we going to Diagon Alley?" He asked deliberately changing the subject.  
  
"Oh, well I thought of going tomorrow, but I think we might leave it until later." Molly said.  
  
"No, we'll go tomorrow, then we don't have to worry about it." Harry replied firmly.  
  
"That's settled then. I'll take Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny and Malfoy. Molly, you should stay here, Percy and Charlie have some very important things to talk to you about." Arthur said.  
  
Molly nodded and ushered everyone out of the room.  
  
"Bed, we have to get up early tomorrow." She shouted over the noise.  
  
Harry was kneeling next to Hermione. She looked into his deep green eyes and smiled weakly.  
  
"You'll be okay Hermione." Harry whispered.  
  
He picked her up gently off the sofa and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Walking slowly up the stairs behind everyone else, they made their way to the top of the house, passing Malfoy who was now groaning in pain, mid air still on the stretcher.  
  
"Good night Malfoy. Hope the straps aren't too tight." Harry said wickedly as he carried Hermione up the last flight of stairs. 


	3. Diagon Alley

Right. I'm enjoying writing this story. Very interesting. It's the next day and Mr. Weasleys getting ready to take the Hogwarts students to Diagon Alley.  
  
STORY:  
  
"Harry! Are you up yet?" Arthur shouted up the stairs.  
  
"Just about." Harry shouted back. He pulled on a pair of jeans and found his glasses.  
  
Grabbing his moneybag he ran out of the room and down the stairs. Malfoy was standing against the stairs, Ginny, avoiding eye contact with any of her family, standing next to him. Ron and Hermione were standing next to the fire with Mr. Weasley.  
  
"Sorry." He said.  
  
"Never mind. Who's going first?" Arthur said trying to get the group moving.  
  
"I will." Ron said.  
  
He took a pinch of the sparkling powder and threw it into the flames. He stepped into the now luminous green flames.  
  
"Diagon Alley." He shouted, before disappearing.  
  
Hermione took some of the powder next and threw it into the fire. She stood amongst the green flames.  
  
"Diagon Alley!" She shouted, before disappearing herself.  
  
Harry took some of the powder and threw it into the flames. Closing his eyes he ducked into the fireplace and turned around.  
  
"Diagon Alley!" He shouted clearly.  
  
He felt as though he was being sucked up a giant plug hole. Keeping his elbows tucked in he looked up. Seeing Hermione's feet about three-foot above him he relaxed a little. The gushing noise in his ears slowed to a halt and he stepped out into half-light of the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
Hermione and Ron were waiting for him. He smiled and walked over to them. After waiting a few minutes the rest of the group appeared in the fireplace. They walked out into the courtyard. Arthur pulled out his wand and tapped the brick three left from the dustbin. Standing back the brick wall disappeared leaving an archway into Diagon Alley.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione went to Gringotts first so Harry could get some money out of his vault. They walked up to a goblin and gave him Harry's key.  
  
"You'll be making a withdrawal I presume?" The goblin asked.  
  
"Yes." Harry replied.  
  
The goblin looked carefully at the tiny key and handed it back to Harry. He nodded and pointed to one of the hundreds of stone doors leading off the hall. One goblin bowed them through the door and climbed into a cart in front of them.  
  
The cart seemed to know where it was going. The goblin was lying back across the two sides of the cart whilst Hermione and Ron looked a little sick. Harry was busy leaning over the side of the cart looking for the dragons that was supposedly living down in the darkness. He saw a jet of flame just as the cart hit a bump.  
  
Harry was thrown over the edge of the cart, handing on for dear life by his fingertips. Hermione was shrieking at the goblin to stop the cart. Ron had peered over the edge of the cart and grabbed Harry's wrists in an attempt to pull him back in.  
  
"Harry? You all right down there?" Ron asked.  
  
"Oh yeah, just fine thanks." Harry replied.  
  
He looked down but wished he hadn't. He couldn't see the floor and was starting to think there wasn't one. There were other tracks leading off in different directions. Ron's hands were slipping with sweat. Harry looked up into his face. Hermione was looking over the edge at him but didn't do anything.  
  
"Hermione! Don't just stand there!" Ron bellowed.  
  
One of his hands slipped. Harrys arm dangled by his side. He felt his wand dangling out next to his hand. Pulling it out of his pocket he gave it to Hermione.  
  
"Levitate me back in." He shouted to her.  
  
"Good idea!" Hermione shouted back. She took his wand and let out a small squeak. "Wingardium Leviosa!" She shouted.  
  
Harry felt his body become light. He floated upwards and back into the cart. The cart slowed to a halt and Harry got out, legs shaking slightly. He, Hermione and, eventually, Ron followed the Gringotts goblin to the vault. Harry gave him the key and watched silently as the solid stone door slid open.  
  
Scooping a handful out the gold, silver and bronze coins into his pouch he turned back to Ron. Smiling weakly at him, he scooped up another handful of gold and shoved it into his hands.  
  
"Late birthday present." Harry said smiling at the look of awe of Ron's face.  
  
Harry's birthday wasn't until a few weeks time, but Ron had had his birthday three weeks earlier. Harry guessed what Ron might spend the money on, knowing Ron he would spend it on getting Harry a good birthday present but Harry wouldn't let him.  
  
"And don't bother even thinking about spending it on me." He added looking at the anguish on Ron's face.  
  
"Harry, you shouldn't give this to me."  
  
"Yes I should. You've been my best friend for years. I don't need all this money and you said yourself, you hate being poor."  
  
Hermione looked oddly at Harry. It was a mix of admiration and a dreamy sort of glare. Harry knew she was about to do something they both might regret so he got back in the cart. Ron followed, still looking awestruck at the pile of gold in his hands, and finally Hermione.  
  
The goblin closed the vault and got back into the front of the cart. Ron hastily shoved the gold in his bag and the cart zoomed off up the track again.  
  
"This time, don't go looking for the dragons." The goblin said wisely.  
  
"I don't think I will." Harry replied wistfully.  
  
He itched to look over the edge for the dragons but resisted temptation. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the passage flooded with light. Harry shielded his eyes for a second before following Hermione out of the cart.  
  
Stepping into the fresh air of Diagon Alley, Harry went over to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and bought all three of them a kinckerbocker glory each. Spending time pouring over the newest broomstick in the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, they quickly brought their new schoolbooks and refills before going back to the Leaky Cauldron to go home.  
  
"Good, Harry, you get everything?" Mr. Weasley asked upon their arrival.  
  
"Yes." Harry replied.  
  
Harry took a pinch of Floo Powder and stepped up to the fire. Sprinkling it over the flames he stepped into the fire.  
  
"The Burrow!"  
  
He disappeared from sight. Ron took some powder next and did exactly the same thing. Harry could see Rons red head a few feet below him. The swirling ceased and Harry stepped out into the kitchen. Ron appeared shortly after followed by Hermione. Ginny and Malfoy came next before Fred and George and finally Mr. Weasley.  
  
"Molly! We're back." Mr. Weasley shouted.  
  
Mrs. Weasley came running into the kitchen. It surprised everyone to see she was crying.  
  
"What's wrong, Molly dear?"  
  
"Thank goodness! It's started again Arthur." Mrs. Weasley wept.  
  
Harry took the newspaper gently from Mrs. Weasley's hand and read the front page.  
  
In the unfortunate event that happened today at nine forty this morning, the Ministry is insisting everything is fine. A young witch was seriously injured at Diagon Alley as Death Eaters flooded the upper street. The girl, who would be starting her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is related to none other than the Malfoy family. Sixteen year old Tally Malfoy, recently expelled from Beauxbatons Academy, is none other that Lucius Malfoy's niece.  
  
"Well, Malfoy, you never said you had a cousin." Hermione said loudly after reading the clipping over Harry's shoulder.  
  
"Say what Granger?" Malfoy asked.  
  
"And I bet your father would have been one of those ones who attacked her. His own niece." Hermione carried on without listening to Malfoy.  
  
"What are you on about Granger?"  
  
"Harry, you said Mr. Malfoy turned up when You-Know-Who was re-born didn't you?"  
  
"Uh...Yeah, Voldemort said something to him...Something about Muggle- torture and the Quidditch World Cup."  
  
"So you father was amongst the Death Eaters, Malfoy." Hermione said smiling triumphantly at Malfoys burning face.  
  
"Prove it." Malfoy said simply.  
  
"Give me a few minutes and I will." Hermione replied.  
  
She sat on the floor and pulled one of her new books out of her bag. Flicking through it she stopped on a page and quickly read it.  
  
"Harry, give me your wand."  
  
Harry gave Hermione his wand without thinking. She muttered a spell and a small light flickered out of the end of the wand. The lights extinguished at one and the light shone onto a plain wall.  
  
"Master! Master, forgive us! Forgive us all!" A hooded figure shrieked.  
  
"Crucio!" Voldemort said laughing his high pitched laugh.  
  
They could all see the Death Eater writhing on the ground screaming in pain.  
  
"Get up, Avery, stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I do not forget. Thirteen long years...I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you. Wormtail here has paid some of his debt already, have you not, Wormtail?"  
  
Wormtail was still sobbing on the ground. The scene faded and another lid up the wall. Voldemort was pacing around the circle addressing some on the Death Eaters and saying who will be punished for not returning. He stopped and looked carefully at one Death Eater.  
  
"Lucius, my slippery friend, I am told you have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable face. You are still ready to take the lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe? Yet you never tried to find me, Lucius...your exploits at the Quidditch World Cup were fun, I daresay...but might not your energies have been better directed towards finding and aiding your master?"  
  
"My Lord, I was constantly on alert, had there been any sign from you, any whisper of your whereabouts, I would have been at your side immediately, nothing could have prevented me-"  
  
"And yet you run from my Mark, when a faithful Death Eater sent it into the sky last summer? Yes, I know all about that, Lucius, you have disappointed me...I expect more faithful service in the future."  
  
"Of course, my Lord, of course...you are merciful, thank you..."  
  
The light faded again and the screen disappeared with a small pop. All eyes were on Malfoy. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked utterly shocked. Hermione stood up and gave Harry back his wand.  
  
"Well, what do you have to say, Malfoy?" Hermione asked smugly.  
  
Malfoy was a red as any of the Weasleys. He opened and closed his mouth several times, looking like a flailing fish. Finally Mrs. Weasley broke the silence.  
  
"Harry, Hermione, go upstairs. You too Ron." She whispered.  
  
Without a word Harry, Hermione and Ron left the room, closely followed by Fred and George and finally Charlie. 


	4. The Truth About Malfoy

Next chapter. Not a lot to say about this one, so enjoy : )  
  
STORY:  
  
Mrs. Weasley could be heard shouting at Malfoy from the top floor. Charlie had left them on the first floor to talk to Percy, Fred and George on the second, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione to climb the last flights of stairs by themselves.  
  
"That was a great spell, Hermione, how did you..."  
  
"Oh, Harry, I should have told you, just before we left I was talking to Professor Flitwick and he said there was a spell that might have interested me. It's a simple charm that shows the last major event the wand holder went through."  
  
"I wonder who our new defense against the Dark Arts teacher is..." Ron said.  
  
"Dunno. Some one with a lot of guts." Harry replied.  
  
The three walked into Ron's room and closed the door. Hermione was trying to teach Harry a few simple charms, hoping they could be used sometime during the next year.  
  
"How can you practice magic without getting expelled?" Malfoys cold voice asked from the doorway.  
  
"Because sixth years are allowed. I thought, seeing as you dad is in the Ministry, he would have told you the new rules." Hermione replied simply.  
  
"Sixth years can practice magic?"  
  
"Of course not, why aren't we being sent letters to say we've received warnings?" Hermione said sarcastically.  
  
Malfoy shot her an evil look before leaving the room. Hermione turned back to Harry. His eyes met hers and he looked out of the window.  
  
"What're Fred and George doing?" He asked.  
  
Ron looked up and out of the window. Fred was giving George a leg up over the fence. George disappeared over the other side and Fred followed. A pair of red heads were visible running through the long grass in the field next door.  
  
"Those two are seriously pushing it, mum's already annoyed with them for buying that shop in Hogsmeade, this is gonna push her over the edge."  
  
"Where are they going?"  
  
"They spend most of their time nowadays in the barn over there, it's become an inventing studio."  
  
"Molly's going to go skits when I tell her." Malfoy sneered sidling into view.  
  
"How will you tell his if you can't remember?"  
  
"What do you mean Granger?"  
  
"Obliviate!"  
  
Malfoy stumbled backwards and fell out of the door. He removed his hands from over his eyes and looked up at Hermione.  
  
"Hello, you're very pretty, did you know that?"  
  
"Shut up Malfoy." Hermione snapped.  
  
"Draco!" Ginny shouted up the stairs.  
  
"She means you." Ron said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Ron pulled Malfoy to his feet and shoved him across the landing. Malfoy waved to them before tumbling down the stairs.  
  
"Draco? What are you doing?"  
  
"Merry Christmas." Malfoys voice floated up the stairs.  
  
"Mum! Something's wrong with Draco!" Ginny shouted.  
  
"What? What's wrong Ginny?"  
  
Mrs. Weasley appeared on the lending below Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry touched Hermione's arm and they disappeared into Ron's room.  
  
"Come on, It's 'Lobina Atrificate'" Hermione said.  
  
"Okay I get you." Harry said for the umpteenth time. "Lobina Atrificate!"  
  
The scene from the graveyard flickered on the floor, where Harry had pointed the tip of his wand. It wavered and disappeared.  
  
"It's no use, you'll never get it Harry." Ron said from the bed.  
  
"I'd like to see you try." Harry replied.  
  
"All right."  
  
"'Lobina Atrificate'" Hermione dictated at once.  
  
"Gotcha. Lobina Atrificate!" Ron shouted.  
  
A scene none of the three recognized was emitted from the end of the wand. Mrs. Weasley was sobbing in a corner with a body lying in the center of the room.  
  
"Ron, what is this?"  
  
"It was from the order last year." Harry said.  
  
"It is?" Ron asked looking flabbergasted.  
  
"That's a Bogart. It's not really you, Ron."  
  
The scene flickered and died. Mr. Weasley's voice floated up the stairs. At once they left the room and walked down the stairs.  
  
Mr. Weasley had called them down for dinner. Another silent affair. After five minutes of silence, Mrs. Weasley bravely spoke up to try and start a conversation.  
  
"Harry, did you enjoy your stay with the Dursleys?"  
  
Malfoy, obviously cured, snorted into his dinner. Harry shot an evil look at him, his knife and fork clattering against the plate.  
  
"Oh, have a good laugh Malfoy, we all know you're pure blood." Harry said, his anger rising. "Have a good gloat! Harry Potter, the only known survivor of Voldemort, the one with no parents! The one with no family!" Harry found himself shouting, "You wouldn't know that would you, never had to suffer like I do! Then there was Sirius! That's right Sirius Black! My godfather, the one who escaped Azkaban! My last relative! I spent last summer with him, and Christmas! I had a person who really cared! The only problem now is HE'S DEAD!"  
  
Silence was Harry's answer. Standing up so fast, his chair fell over backwards; Harry stormed up the stairs. Slamming Ron's bedroom door, Harry collapsed onto his camp bed and buried his face in his pillow. Hedwig hooted softly and landed on the bed next to Harry's shoulder.  
  
"Hey, Hedwig." Harry said softly, rolling onto his back.  
  
Hedwig spread her wings and fluttered them against Harry's cheek. She walked onto Harry's chest and let him stroke her head. The door opened and Hermione appeared looking as though she was about to cry.  
  
"Harry?" She whispered.  
  
"What do you want?" Harry replied coldly.  
  
"Oh Harry, don't be angry with me too." Hermione whimpered.  
  
"What do you want?" Harry repeated.  
  
Hermione burst into tears. Feeling a pang of guilt Harry stood up and put his arms around her. She felt his arms close around her and looked up into his eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"It's okay, It's not your fault Malfoy doesn't use the little brain he has." Hermione replied wiping her eyes.  
  
"I...It's just getting to me."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"Everything...That's all." 


	5. Aboard The Hogwarts Express

Can't be arsed to write summit decent here...On with the story!  
  
STORY:  
  
"Harry! Hermione! Come on! We'll be late!" Molly shouted up the stairs.  
  
Hermione appeared out of Ginny's room just as Harry pelted past her. The rest of the family, along with Malfoy, were waiting in the front room.  
  
"Professor Lupin!" Hermione gasped. Everyone look at Lupin's head in the fireplace.  
  
"Please don't call me that Hermione, I don't teach you anymore." Lupin's head replied.  
  
"Hello Remus, how are you?" Arthur asked.  
  
"Can't complain. I'll come and help you onto the platform, just give me a sec."  
  
Lupin's head disappeared. A few seconds later he ducked out of the emerald green flames.  
  
"How is every one?" Lupin asked brightly, clapping his hands together.  
  
"I'm sure everyone is just fine Remus." Came the equally cheerful female voice behind him.  
  
"Tonks!" Hermione said smiling.  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"Brilliant...What do you think...Should I put my hair back to pink?"  
  
"Nah, I like the purple, it suits the green eyes." Ginny replied.  
  
"As we are going to be late, would you mind helping up move the trunks?" Molly asked.  
  
"Why do it the hard way? Locomotor Trunks!"  
  
All at once the trunks floated a few inches off the ground and scooted out of the front door. Tonks waved her wand lazily and the trunks fell to the dusty ground outside.  
  
"That might help!"  
  
"Thank you Tonks." Arthur said approvingly.  
  
Five minutes later, four Weasley's, Malfoy, Harry, Hermione, Tonks and Lupin were all fitted in the Weasley's new car, with Hedwig and Pig hooting in their cages. The boot full with Hogwarts trunks and were heading to Kings Cross relatively quickly.  
  
"How you holding up Harry?" Lupin asked. Tonks looked at him.  
  
"Better than I expected." Harry replied, forcing a smile.  
  
The memory of Sirius falling away from him forced its way back to the front of his brain.  
  
"Harry? You've gone awfully pale." Tonks whispered.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"There's no chance he could have..."  
  
"Don't hold onto false hope Harry." Lupin replied quietly.  
  
"No chance at all."  
  
"No."  
  
"But why? Why me? Why Sirius, why couldn't it be someone else?"  
  
"Harry, I though Dumbledore went through this with you?"  
  
"It could've been Neville! Why couldn't it have been him?" Anger rose again in his chest.  
  
"He chose you Harry, not Neville. You. I thought you would've accepted that by now."  
  
"Oh, yeah, my only wizarding relative just happens to die two minutes after me seeing him for the last time dueling with a Death Eater! I'm supposed to accept it all as easy as that am I?"  
  
"Don't go thinking you were the only one who cared for Sirius!"  
  
"Remus! I'm surprised at you! How could you say such a thing to Harry, he's clearly distressed about it still." Molly gasped.  
  
Malfoy had been listening carefully to the argument. Harry saw his eye glint and the anger erupted.  
  
"What the hell are you staring at?"  
  
Malfoy looked taken aback.  
  
"Don't shout at Draco!" Ginny yelled indignantly.  
  
"Yeah? Well tell lover boy to keep his eyes in his own head and stop gawking at me!"  
  
"As if I'd want to do that Potter."  
  
"That's enough!" Arthur shouted over the noise. Every one was silent. "Out."  
  
The car pulled up outside the station. It was ten to eleven. Every one bundled out of the car and pulled their own trunk out of the boot of the car. Tonks and Lupin had fetched a few trolleys. Harry dumped his trunk on one of the trolleys and put Hedwig on top. Wheeling his trolley onto Kings Cross, without a word to anyone, he walked strait at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Walking strait through the solid barrier he was face to face with the scarlet steam engine again.  
  
Pushing his trolley up the crowded platform, he greeted several Gryffindors on the way. Neville, Seamus and Dean. Nearing the end of the train, Harry opened one of the doors and heaved his trunk into the train, pushing it in far enough, he pushed his trolley to the other side of the platform and picked up Hedwig's cage. Closing the door behind him, he dragged his trunk through the corridor finding a empty compartment right at the end of the train.  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa!"  
  
His trunk levitated into the air and onto the rack above the seats. Pushing his wand back into his Jean pocket, he sat down and wondered how long it would be fore Malfoy to find him and begin taunting him. His answer, unfortunately, was not very long at all.  
  
"Hello Potty!" Malfoy sneered. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled loudly.  
  
"What do you want?" Harry replied, uninterested in the conversation, staring out of the window.  
  
"Did you enjoy it with the muggles?"  
  
"Yeah, it was the most fun I've had in ages, without your ugly face pressed in mine twenty four seven."  
  
"You'll pay for that Potter." Malfoy said. Crabbe flexed his knuckles menacingly.  
  
"Maybe another time." Lupin's voice said from the doorway.  
  
He and Tonks made themselves comfortable in the compartment and Tonks gestured to the door. Malfoy shot one last look at Harry before following Crabbe and Goyle out of the compartment. Tonks waited from Ginny, Neville, Seamus and Dean to make themselves comfortable before closing the compartment door.  
  
"Harry, I'm sorry about earlier."  
  
"Yeah, so am I. Everything bugs me at the moment, I had no right to snap at you like that."  
  
"I guess I deserved it. I know it's a lot for you to handle at the moment."  
  
"Hey Harry, the chick a friend of yours?" Dean asked, peering at Tonks, who was in the middle of changing her hair colour.  
  
"That's Tonks. She's a friend yeah."  
  
"What the hell is that Thestral doing?" Lupin cried, pointing out of the window.  
  
A Thestral was walking along the platform. Lupin sprang from the seat and disappeared from the compartment. A few minutes later the Thestral was making itself comfortable at Hermione's feet.  
  
"How come almost everyone in here can see it?" Hermione asked, looking adoringly at the creature.  
  
"We all witnessed Sirius die. We all will." Tonks said before Lupin could.  
  
"I saw my grandfather die before." Neville said quietly.  
  
"I can't see it." Dean replied.  
  
"Neither can I." Seamus agreed.  
  
The train got moving. Soon Kings Cross and London disappeared. Green countryside was the new scenery. Lupin disappeared again, as did Hermione and Ron, their Prefect duties were to patrol the corridor, leaving Neville, Seamus, Dean, Ginny, Harry, Tonks and Lupin when he eventually came back.  
  
The Thestral jumped up onto Hermione's seat and laid its head on Harry's lap. Harry sat there stroking its head absentmindedly, staring out of the window, which was getting drenched, with rain. Luna joined them soon after the witch with the lunch trolley passed. Lupin and Tonks joined the teens in a feast of Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes and ice cold Pumpkin Juice. 


	6. Intercepted

Again cant be arsed to write summit decent here...  
  
STORY:  
  
Hermione and Ron joined them, some twenty minutes later, Hermione had brought a map with a red line squiggled on it.  
  
"I borrowed this from the driver, it plots the route to Hogwarts," She traced the line with her finger, "The blue line shows the trains progress."  
  
"Uh, Hermione, why isn't it following the red line?" Ron asked, prodding the map with his finger.  
  
Harry looked over Ron's shoulder and saw the blue line slowly break further away from the red line.  
  
"Assemble the DA." Harry, ordered.  
  
Several people in the carriage looked up. The windows were freezing over. Water vapor was visible, rising into the air before disappearing. Ron has left the carriage and was shouting down the corridor. Soon all members of the DA were present in Harry's carriage.  
  
"We have Dementors on the train, every one knows the spell?"  
  
"Of course Harry." Cho replied quickly.  
  
"Right, Dean, Seamus and Neville, you move everyone out of the front two carriages into the ones further back. The rest of you split into groups, no less than four, Cho, Ron, Hermione and me will fight the Dementors."  
  
"We'll come with you Harry." Tonks said quickly.  
  
"Right." Lupin stood up.  
  
Harry followed the others out of the compartment and watched them follow his instructions and split into groups. Neville, Dean and Seamus strode down the corridor and out of sight. Pulling out her wand, Cho took the lead and led everyone down the train. They passed a group of first year making their way to the back of the train, and to Harry's delight, a very frightened looking Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Oh, I don't think so." Harry said, grabbing Malfoy's T-shirt. "Time for a little chat with daddy."  
  
Harry dragged Malfoy the length of the train and watched Cho open the driver's door and gasped at the sight before their eyes.  
  
Inside were no less than seven Dementors. Five Death Eaters laughed under their hoods at the group standing in the doorway.  
  
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry shouted, along with six other voices.  
  
A stag, otter, swan, phoenix, dog, cat and snake erupted out of their owner's wands and glided around the room. Dementors screamed horribly and one lunged at the nearest person, who happened to Cho. The scabbed hands suddenly appeared around Cho's neck. She gasped as the Dementor leaned closer towards her.  
  
The stag and swan both rounded on the Dementor and it let go of Cho. She fell silently to the floor and Harry knelt next to her. Looking around, Hermione was standing, terrified, in a corner, next to Malfoy. It was hard to tell which was most displeased about this. One of the Death Eaters stood up and walked silently towards them.  
  
"Draco." Lucius' voice issued under the hood.  
  
"I knew it! I knew you were a Death Eater!" Hermione said shrilly.  
  
"Be quite, fool of a girl, filthy Mudblood."  
  
Hermione took this to heart and rounded on Draco. She pointed her wand at his throat and began uttering a charm under her breath. Lucius' arm swung at her, sending her to the floor, wand clattering to the other end of the room.  
  
Malfoy was standing next to his father, looking down on Hermione. Lucius reached into his robes and pulled out his own wand.  
  
"Say good bye, Mudblood. Avada-"  
  
"No!" Harry shouted.  
  
Harry's stag tore up the compartment and knocked Lucius over. Kneeling over Hermione, it covered her completely so she couldn't be harmed in any way. Harry looked gratefully at the stag and then at both Malfoy's.  
  
Cho came round in Harry's arms. She looked up into his bright green eyes and smiled weakly. Tears shone in her eyes as Harry pulled her gently closer to him. Ron was busy keeping the Dementors at bay, Tonks and Lupin dueling with Death Eaters.  
  
Harry felt Cho become limp again. He let her gently to the floor and stood up. Crossing the room to Lucius, Harry's fingers closed around his throat. Lucius looked up at him and laughed.  
  
"Avada Kedavra!"  
  
Harry dodged the jet of green light as watched it hit the Death Eater dueling with Tonks. Tonks looked up at Harry, then at Lucius.  
  
"Oh, Voldemort won't be best pleased with that Lucius. Killing a fellow Death Eater." Tonks laughed gleefully.  
  
Tonks pulled back the Death Eaters hood and smiled triumphantly. Bellatrix Lestrange's shocked face was visible for every one in the carriage to see.  
  
"She killed Sirius, she got what was coming to her." Harry whispered.  
  
Hermione shook her head and opened her eyes. Sitting up she picked up her wand and looked at Lestrange. Using her favourite spell, she set Lestrange's body alight with rippling blue flames. The Death Eaters watched Lestrange's body slowly disintegrate into ash.  
  
"Lucius, you should've kept your temper." Rookwood's voice issued from under another hood.  
  
"I wasn't aiming for her."  
  
"Shut up." Harry whispered. "Get up. MOVE!"  
  
Lucius got to his feet; Harry's hand still clamped firmly against his neck. Ron helped Hermione to her feet and watched Harry drag Lucius out of the compartment. Opening a carriage door, Harry smiled sarcastically at Lucius and threw him out of the train.  
  
Harry looked back into the compartment. Pointing to the door, Tonks led the Death Eaters to it with her wand. Pushing them out one by one, Harry heard some of them Disapparate on the way down. Hermione was consulting the map again, a look of sheer terror spread over her face.  
  
"Harry, we have to stop the train!"  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"It's heading for the cliffs!"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Tonks shut the door and pointed her wand at the floor of the train. A white light shot out the end of her wand and connected with the floor. The point of connection sent out a glowing white light to every part of the train, the floor, ceiling and walls were covered. Harry could feel the train slowing down, but not quick enough.  
  
Hermione screamed as the front of the train lurched downwards. Several people yelled as the first few carriages fell off the cliff. The train stopped moving forward and began reconnecting with the rails. Soon the whole train was upright and moving away from the cliff edge.  
  
"Tonks?" Hermione whispered.  
  
"That wasn't me?"  
  
"We're all alive?" Lupin asked incredulously.  
  
"We're ALIVE!!" Ron shouted.  
  
"But how?" Hermione asked. 


	7. The Saviour

Just gonna go strait into the story...  
  
STORY:  
  
Students began piling off the train. Harry opened the door and led the DA out. Seeing everyone in a state of panic, he resorted to drastic action.  
  
"Sonorus! Can I have everyone's attention please." Harry said, his voice magnified.  
  
People turned to look at him.  
  
"Will everyone please not panic."  
  
"You can talk, you don't know the meaning of fear!" Someone shouted.  
  
"Not true. Anyway, there's no way we'll be able to get to Hogwarts tonight so if everyone follows these instructions we'll all be safe for the night."  
  
A murmur of disagreement rippled through the crowds but soon dies. All eyes on Harry once again.  
  
"Last six carriages, boys quarters for the night, girls, the first six. No mixing and no arguments. Any usage of wands will be from Prefects only. Female Prefects in the first six carriages and if you don't mind Tonks?"  
  
"No problem."  
  
"Ladies please follow Tonks, she'll help make the beds. Males, follow Remus, or Lupin as you may know him to the end carriages."  
  
The instructions were followed immediately. Tonks led the girls into the first six carriages and the boys followed Lupin into the last six. Harry's voice died to its normal volume and he followed Lupin and the boys into the end carriages.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione shouted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Up there."  
  
Harry looked at Hermione; she was pointing at an old oak tree. Peering into its dark foliage Harry could see a shadow moving through the branches.  
  
"Lumos!" Harry whispered.  
  
His wand tip lit up and he shone it into the tree. A soft hissing noise emitted from the shadow and it ran down the trunk.  
  
"Shut it off." It whispered, shielding its eyes from the light.  
  
Harry's wand extinguished and he stepped cautiously towards the creature. Hermione and Ron followed him.  
  
"Who are you?" Harry asked.  
  
"Do you really wish to know?"  
  
"Yes." Hermione squeaked.  
  
"My name is Kai. I am a half-breed as you wizards call us."  
  
"Why? You seem normal enough." Hermione whispered.  
  
"What you hear is usually a lot different to the body that comes with it."  
  
"Is that why you don't like the light, because you're afraid of your true identity?" Ron asked.  
  
"Not that I'm afraid, others have not liked my appearance in the past, I now keep myself to myself."  
  
"What have you got to hide?" Harry asked.  
  
"I hide only from those who seek me. Not those who don't."  
  
"We know a half-breed, a half-giant, his name's Hagrid."  
  
"You know Hagrid?"  
  
"He works at Hogwarts."  
  
"Hogwarts? That's the school?"  
  
"Yes, he works as ground-keeper."  
  
The moon slid out from behind a cloud submerging the scene in a frosty blue light. Kai was hidden, still leaning against the tree. Stepping out from under the tree, his scaly skin reflected the blue light at all directions.  
  
Hermione gasped at the appearance of the boy. Long leathery wings produced from his shoulder blades as well as a long spiked tail from just below his midriff. Looking at them, Kai sighed and turned away. He spread the long wings and was about to fly when he felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Don't leave." Harry said.  
  
"I must, finding a way to become normal is my life's request."  
  
"Maybe I can help." Hermione whispered.  
  
"You can?"  
  
"I think so, there's a potion I've heard of that makes the illusion of a human, but it is only an illusion, it doesn't keep forever."  
  
"How long does it last for?"  
  
"A year. It takes a few weeks to make but when we get to Hogwarts, I'll be able to make it for you."  
  
"Then I shall do all in my power to help you get to Hogwarts. I know the route well, you might not know but I follow the train every September first and spent the whole year in the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid teaches me a lot of the things I know about the wizarding world."  
  
"That's great. Tomorrow, we'll introduce you to Remus and Tonks, Remus is a werewolf, he knows what it's like to be an outcast." Harry said.  
  
"Remus? Lupin?"  
  
"Yes. You know him too?"  
  
"Hagrid introduced him in your third year."  
  
"I'll go and get him." Hermione said.  
  
She disappeared into the last carriage and the door slammed shut behind her. Ron looked at Kai and smiled.  
  
"How old are you?"  
  
"Sixteen."  
  
"You'd be in our year then."  
  
"Yes, maybe."  
  
"When Hermione finishes the potion, you can stay with us, in Gryffindor tower. I'm sure Dumbledore wouldn't mind."  
  
"Yes, but what about the other three boys in your dormitory? Surely they would mind?"  
  
"Nah, if you're a friend of Harry's you'll fit in fine." Ron said laughing.  
  
"Harry Potter? That's you?"  
  
"Yes, I thought you might have realized that by now."  
  
"Do you mind if I..."  
  
Harry pulled up his fringe. Kai peered at Harry's scar and smiled. Touching it with one scaly finger, Harry felt his forehead twinge.  
  
"I can get rid of this if you like, cover it I mean."  
  
"Nah, thanks though. It's good for something."  
  
"Your connection with Voldemort?"  
  
"How did you..."  
  
"Hagrid has told me all about you."  
  
"Should've seen that coming Harry." Ron said smiling.  
  
Hermione came back out of the carriage, followed by Lupin.  
  
"Ah, Kai, I see you've met Mr. Potter."  
  
"Yes, he's just as you said he would be."  
  
"Come inside, you must be freezing out here." Lupin said, ushering them into the train.  
  
Hermione waved goodbye to Harry and Ron and ran up the side of the train finally disappearing into one of the carriages. Kai followed Lupin, Harry and Ron into the very end compartment, which was empty.  
  
"You can sleep here tonight." Lupin said.  
  
He pulled out his wand and flicked it. Three comfortable looking single beds appeared where the seats would usually be positioned. Another flick of his wand made Harry and Ron's trunks to appear from no where and position themselves at the end of two of the beds.  
  
"I'll be back in a minute, just got to check what's going on. Get yourselves ready for bed." Lupin said, at the doorway. He disappeared out of it and the door slid to. 


	8. Patronus' And Memories

Lupin came back some forty minutes later. Apparently someone had let off a few Dung bombs, then a fight took place between a Slytherin sixth year and a Ravenclaw fourth year. The Ravenclaw student was still out cold when Lupin left.  
  
"Nothing too hard to handle." He said, sporting a bleeding lip.  
  
"Remus, was that your Patronus? The dog?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yes Harry. Sirius was usually always the one who stuck with me the most. James and Peter sometimes but Sirius was almost always there for me. I was dependent on him and a Patronus takes the shape of something you cared about a lot. As Sirius transformed into a dog, that's the shape my Patronus took."  
  
"And my father, he was a stag."  
  
"And your Patronus is a stag because you wish more than anything to see your parents again. As Patronus' cannot take the shape of any human, it was your fathers transformation into a stag that your Patronus took the shape of."  
  
"Hermione's was an otter, why would that be?"  
  
"Hermione happens to live quite close to where I used to live. Near there is a pond, a family of otters took up living there and Hermione tells me she goes to see them nearly every day of the holiday."  
  
"Remus?" Kai asked, sitting, somewhat comfortably, on the rack above his bed.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What happens if a Patronus goes wrong?"  
  
"Wrong? Well, usually either it works or it doesn't." Looking at the expression of interest on Ron, Harry and Kai's faces, he continued, "But there was one incident that sticks out clearly in my memory."  
  
And so Remus began telling them the story of the Patronus gone wrong. As it happened it was Peter Pettigrew's Patronus. It chased him around the school for hours until finally dying away into wispy silver smoke.  
  
Peter, also known as Wormtail, was a small unintelligent boy, reminding Harry strongly of fellow sixth year Neville, who hung around with Sirius, James and Remus when they were at Hogwarts themselves. James and Sirius, two bright lads, who knew the counter-spell to stop the Patronus, decided it would be fun to watch poor Peter suffer instead of help. As they weren't good friends at the time it took a great deal of effort from Remus to finally persuade them to stop it. Harry and Ron laughed at the little details. Kai said or did nothing until the tale was over.  
  
"So that Patronus was faulty?"  
  
"Not faulty as such, more..."  
  
"Insolent?" Harry offered.  
  
"I suppose yes."  
  
"But why?" Kai asked.  
  
"Wormtail wasn't the strongest of characters, a Patronus can sense fear, so instead of attacking the Bogart we were practicing on, it went after him."  
  
Hermione entered the carriage at that precise point in time. An angry look exploded on her face and she began yelling at the top of her voice.  
  
"Absolutely NO shame! The cheek! That little git will soon get what's coming to him, whether it's from me or not, he'll get it BIG TIME!"  
  
"Hermione-" Lupin began.  
  
"Stupid little-WITH FIRST YEARS SURROUNDING THEM! He has NO SHAME! AND SHE WAS GOING ALONG WITH IT!"  
  
"Hermione please-" Lupin stuttered, trying to get a word in edgeways.  
  
"I mean, some people have no dignity, and after Harry said NO MIXING!"  
  
Harry felt as though he had been plunged into a bath of iced water. He understood that second what Hermione was raving about. By the look on Ron's face, he had too.  
  
"He didn't..." Harry croaked.  
  
"HE DID! WHAT DO YOU THINK I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU!?!"  
  
"Hermione! That's enough!"  
  
Everyone was staring at Lupin.  
  
"Kindly explain, without raising your voice, what happened."  
  
"Malfoy's-been-taking-advantage-of-Ginny-in-front-of-first-years." Hermione said in one breath.  
  
"That little git!" Ron shouted.  
  
Getting up so quickly, it took everyone in the carriage by surprise, nobody stopped Ron storming out of the compartment to find Malfoy.  
  
"I THOUGHT YOU'D GET THE MESSAGE YOU INSOLENT LITTLE SLIME-BALL!" Ron could be heard crystal clear from the girls half of the train.  
  
"Do you think we should stop him?" Hermione whispered, biting her nails.  
  
"Nah, let him vent the anger first." Kai said.  
  
Hermione jumped with surprise, not realizing Kai was sitting in the rack.  
  
"If he's that angry about it, he'll end up doing something he might regret." Hermione whimpered.  
  
Sure enough a dull thud was heard accompanied by a clatter.  
  
"What's he done."  
  
"Knowing Ron, thumped Malfoy and been knocked out himself by Crabbe and Goyle." Harry said wisely.  
  
Obviously wrapped in guilt and worry, Hermione literally flew out of the compartment and along the corridor. Lupin watched in amazement as she disappeared around a bend.  
  
"And she's usually like this?" Kai asked Harry.  
  
"Most of the time, yeah."  
  
Harry stood up and left the compartment. He hurtled down the corridor and skidded into the compartment where Malfoy and Ron were lying unconscious on the floor. Hermione was in a headlock, whimpering in pain.  
  
"Leave her alone!" He shouted at Crabbe.  
  
"Make me, Potty." It was the first time Harry had heard Goyle speak, except if you counted the time when Harry and Ron had taken the Polyjuice Potion.  
  
"Rictusempra!" Harry shouted.  
  
Crabbe doubled up wheezing. Hermione looked gratefully at Harry as he shot the same spell at Goyle, who had Hermione's head tucked most uncomfortably under his arm. He let her go and sank to the floor laughing.  
  
"The Tickling Charm." Hermione beamed. "Nice choice."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Malfoy hit Ron with a spell, I'm not quite sure what it was."  
  
"Finite Incantatem!" Harry said pointing his wand at Ron.  
  
Ron opened his eyes and looked dazed. Hermione helped him to his feet and they left Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle on the floor of the compartment.  
  
"You should have came strait back here, there was no need to use spells." Lupin scolded them.  
  
"Hermione was in a headlock and Ron was out cold on the floor, what else was I supposed to do?" Harry retorted.  
  
"You should've come and got me, as I am older, I would have had the upper hand on the situation. You don't think Harry."  
  
"And let Crabbe pummel Hermione's guts out? Please!"  
  
"Remus, Harry did what he thought was right, it was a spur of the moment thing, and personally I agree with Harry, he wouldn't have had enough time to come and get you." Hermione said, rubbing her neck gingerly.  
  
"Maybe so, but I still think you acted a bit harshly."  
  
"Crouch wouldn't have thought so, he turned Malfoy into a ferret when he was teaching us."  
  
"Yes well, Crouch would've done that to you and kept you as a pet if you did something wrong. Probably ending up giving you to Voldemort as a present."  
  
Ron could've wet himself with the memory of Malfoy, as a ferret, bouncing up and down in the entrance hall, fresh in his memory. 


	9. The Journey To Hogwarts

"It's going to take a long time to get this back on track." Kai said, looking at the wheels early next morning.  
  
"How long?" Lupin asked.  
  
"Well, first, some of these axles are so rusty, it's unbelievably it's lasted so long, those'll need replacing and then we'll have to find some sort of fuel to power this contraption."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"We'll have to push the whole train backwards until it joins up with the original track, then we'll have to get it powered up enough to make it to Hogwarts."  
  
"Let's say we scrap the whole train, most students have broomsticks. Those who haven't travel on the back of someone elses." Harry said looking at Kai.  
  
"That might work, but many students either don't own a broomstick or theirs is to old, it's mostly unreliable anyway."  
  
Hermione hurtled out of a door and across the bracken-covered ground towards them.  
  
"Roughly six miles to Hogwarts." She panted, stopping right in front of them.  
  
"Every one on the Quidditch teams has a broomstick, send out a message to all teams to assemble outside the train with another person from their house." Harry ordered.  
  
"Thestrals." Hermione whispered.  
  
At once seven or eight Thestrals cantered into the clearing. Eventually there were about fifteen waiting near Harry.  
  
"Great! Hagrid must have sent them!" Harry smiled.  
  
"Get everyone who can see the Thestrals out here as well." Harry said.  
  
Hermione nodded and disappeared into the train. Some twenty minutes later, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor Quidditch teams were lined up with a handful of students from their houses.  
  
"We don't have as many people as we like but it'll have to do. Kai, will you show these students the way?" Harry asked, turning to the half-breed.  
  
"No problem."  
  
Kai spread his massive wings and flew into the air, circling the clearing a few times he waited for the students to join him in the air. Soon the group disappeared over the treetops.  
  
Another group of students were forming, a lot of them were obviously able to see the Thestrals as they went over to fuss them. Two people climbed onto one Thestral and it flew into the air and disappeared over the treetops. Soon all the Thestrals had gone as well and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lupin were left by the train.  
  
"We better get the trunks ready." Lupin said.  
  
"Is there no one left on the train?" Harry asked.  
  
"Tonks'll be here in a minute with any girls, but I don't think there are any boys left."  
  
"Right."  
  
Sure enough Tonks appeared seconds later with a group of girls. The girls' trunks were floating lazily a few inches off the ground. There were about a hundred at least. Tonks made a sharp movement with her wand and the trunks fell to the ground.  
  
"These the only ones?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yep." Tonks replied.  
  
"Right, how many of you have brooms?"  
  
"I do." One of them piped up.  
  
"Good, you'll have to take someone else with you. Go get your broom."  
  
The girl left the crowd and over to the trunks.  
  
"Locomotor Trunks!" Lupin said from inside the train.  
  
The boys' trunks floated out of the train and landed with a dull thump on the ground. The girl came back with her broom. She let her friend climb on it and climbed on in front of her. The pair left the ground and they zoomed off after the Thestrals over the treetops.  
  
"Tonks, you still got your broom?"  
  
"Of course Remus. Accio Nimbus!"  
  
Tonks' Nimbus came zooming out of nowhere. She got on it and pulled one of the girls on behind her.  
  
"Locomotor Trunks!" She shouted.  
  
All the trunks floated into the air and followed Tonks and the girl over the treetops. There were now only two girls left. Harry picked up his Firebolt and got on it. Ron climbed onto his broom and pulled Hermione on behind him.  
  
"See you later Harry!" They shouted, as the broomstick flew away.  
  
Harry beckoned to a girl who looked as though she was in her fourth year. He helped her onto the back of his Firebolt and took off.  
  
"See you in a minute Remus."  
  
"Yeah see you Harry."  
  
Harry felt the girls arm close around his waist. She huddled as close as she dared to his back, Harry could feel her warm breath on the nape of his neck.  
  
"You're not scared are you?" He asked politely.  
  
"Not scared, just a little faint."  
  
"No worries, you'll be safe with me."  
  
Harry could feel the girl move closer to him. He smiled and his Firebolt put on an extra burst of speed. Harry could see Tonks and the trunks ahead, he laughed as the Firebolt twisted past a tree and through a gap between two of them.  
  
"Harry, how come you're so good at flying?"  
  
Harry needn't ask how she knew his name, he just smile to himself.  
  
"My father was seeker in his day. Played for Hogwarts himself."  
  
"I'm in Gryffindor too. Forth year."  
  
"I haven't seen you before."  
  
"That because I haven't been here before, I used to go to Beauxbatons. My names Tally, Tally Malfoy." 


	10. Gryffindor's New Quidditch Captain

Harry's broom jolted most uncomfortably forwards before shuddering to a stop. He turned to look at the girl and noticed the scar along her cheek.  
  
"Is that where you...?"  
  
"Got attacked? Yeah. Uncle Lucius said I'd let the family down, y'know them all in Slytherin and me in Gryffindor."  
  
"If you haven't been to Hogwarts before, how do you know what house you're in?" Harry asked, as his broom kicked itself into high gear.  
  
"Beauxbatons has houses as well, sort of like the ones at Hogwarts. I was in the same house as Gryffindor, the same features, y'know, bravery, intelligence, that sort of thing."  
  
"You speak good English for a French girl."  
  
"Yeah, my grandmother's English, she wanted me to learn it as a second language."  
  
"Right."  
  
Harry noticed the castle about a mile in front of them. Urging the broom on they sped up even more and caught up with Tonks.  
  
"Hi Tonks!" Harry shouted over the roaring wind.  
  
"Wotcher Harry!" Tonks shouted back taking her hand off the broom handle and saluted him.  
  
Harry laughed and dodged his way through the hundreds of trunks. Zooming faster towards the castle he laughed again and did a loop on his broom. Tally's grip around his waist tightened and he smiled.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"No problem." He heard her gasp.  
  
Harry looked down on the castle looming directly in front of them, the green, red, yellow and blue stands of the Quidditch pitch looked even more welcoming than usual. The Firebolt circled lower over the Quidditch pitch, finally touching down on the even grass. Harry kicked his leg over the handle and helped Tally off.  
  
Leading her around the side of the castle, he slung his Firebolt over his shoulder and looked around at Tally, she was admiring the Forbidden Forest.  
  
"Is it true they have Unicorns in that forest?"  
  
"Yep, Unicorns, Centaurs, Werewolves, the lot, that's why it's forbidden for any student to enter."  
  
"What's the school like?"  
  
"It's um...Extremely big...That sounds a bit lame doesn't it?" Harry said, trying not to laugh.  
  
Tally giggled, "A little."  
  
"The staircases like to change, so you have to be careful where you're going. Potions takes place in the dungeons, with Professor Snape."  
  
"He's head of Slytherin."  
  
"Yep. Then Professor McGonagall teaches Transfiguration, on the fourth floor. Herbology takes place here." He gestured to the greenhouses. "With Professor Sprout, then Professor Flitwick does Charms on the second floor and last, Hagrid does Care Of Magical Creatures, over there." Harry pointed at Hagrid's cabin, next to the Forest.  
  
"What about defense Against The Dark Arts?"  
  
"To be honest I don't know."  
  
Harry pulled open the Grand Oak Doors to the Entrance Hall. Most people were sitting at the four long house tables already; the First Years were all standing in a group at the Staff Table. Kai was standing at the entrance to the hall.  
  
"Come on, you're late." Kai whispered.  
  
"Tonks and Remus are coming, they'll be here shortly." Harry whispered back.  
  
Kai led Harry and Tally into the hall and along Slytherin's table. Ignoring Malfoys glare Tally followed Harry, keeping her eyes firmly directed at the back of his head. Kai obviously wasn't bothered about the looks people shot at him because he led the two Gryffindors to their table without as much as a wince.  
  
Harry sat down next to Ron and Tally sat next to him, looking at her plate. Harry looked up at the Staff Table and saw two empty chairs. Tonks and Remus burst through the doors with the two girls who hastily walked to their house tables and sat down.  
  
"Sorry we're late, problems with the trunks." Tonks said as they neared the Staff Table.  
  
"Very well Nymphadora, Remus, please take your seats." Dumbledore replied gesturing to the two empty seats next to each other.  
  
The two quickly sat down and waited patiently as Dumbledore stood up.  
  
"We are glad to have you all safely here at Hogwarts once again. Let the Sorting begin!"  
  
"When I call out your names, sit on the stall and place the hat on your head."  
  
"You missed its new song." Hermione whispered.  
  
"Amies, Shawna."  
  
A blonde girl sat on the stall and place the hat on her head. Sitting in silence for a minute the hat finally shouted out the name of the girl's house.  
  
"Hufflepuff!"  
  
"Dixon, Douglas."  
  
"Gryffindor!"  
  
Soon the Sorting ended. Every one clapped as Dumbledore stood up. Professor McGonagall disappeared into the side chamber. She came back and sat silently next to Dumbledore as he stared his speech.  
  
"As I said before we all are glad you are safe. The incident is being looked into as we speak and shall hopefully be resolved quickly. May I introduce your new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Nymphadora Tonks."  
  
There was a loud applause. Tonks blushed and her hair changed to green. People laughed and she smiled.  
  
"And also the return of Remus Lupin, who will be assisting in Tonks' classes."  
  
Lupin got a louder applause as he said something in Tonks' ear. She blushed again and whispered something back.  
  
"Now, to Quidditch. New Gryffindor Captain, Harry Potter."  
  
He paused as the whole hall, except Slytherin, applauded Harry.  
  
"Slytherin Captain, Draco Malfoy."  
  
Again he paused to let the applause die out.  
  
"Ravenclaw Captain, Cho Chang."  
  
The applause rung once again through the hall.  
  
"And finally, the Hufflepuff Captain, Justin Finch-Fletchley."  
  
"I didn't know he played Quidditch." Hermione said quietly.  
  
"He joined last year." Harry replied.  
  
"The Captains will need to have their teams chosen by October 21st. The first Quidditch match will be on October 31st, Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. Now on a lighter note, let's eat!"  
  
The plates along all four tables filled suddenly with the most delicious food Tally had ever seen. She just stared at it all for a minute before Harry offered her a lamb steak.  
  
"Thank you." Tally smiled as Harry dropped a few onto her plate.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"Oh hi Nick!" Hermione laughed as Nick's head appeared in a bowl of soup.  
  
"Hello miss Granger! Did you have a good summer?"  
  
"Fine thank you, and you?"  
  
"A lot better that last years I have to admit, I've given up trying to join the Headless Hunt, I didn't know how interesting it was around here without that on my mind."  
  
"Why would that be Nick?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, I found a few new hidden passages, bits and bobs around here and there. And your summer Harry?"  
  
"Fine, once I got to the Burrow, well most of it."  
  
Ginny choked on a chicken bone and turned beet red. Harry glanced at her but she didn't look at him. Instead she got up and walked to the other end of the table, settling herself between the Creevey brothers.  
  
"What on earth was that about?"  
  
"Ginny's boyfriend was over at out house this summer." Ron said, sourly emphasizing the word 'boyfriend'.  
  
"Really, who would that be."  
  
"Malfoy." Harry and Hermione said at once. This news caused Tally to choke on her pumpkin juice.  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"Didn't you know?" Harry asked.  
  
"Draco doesn't talk to me, unless he's being a spiteful git." Tally replied.  
  
"Oh, Hermione, Ron, this is Tally Malfoy." Harry said, quickly introducing her.  
  
"Really? Shouldn't you be in Slytherin then?" Ron asked.  
  
"Nah, Beauxbatons has houses as well, I was sort of in the Gryffindor type of house there."  
  
"Oh right."  
  
"Why did you get expelled?" Hermione asked.  
  
"There was this girl in my house who didn't really like me, she framed me for throwing one of the pupils out of a window."  
  
It was Ron's turn to choke.  
  
"Bloody hell!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"So you've been sent here because..."  
  
"My Grandmother taught me English so she said I should go to an English school, instead of the one in Australia my parents were planning to send me to."  
  
"Hi Harry!" Cho had appeared next to Harry.  
  
"Hi Cho! Congratulations on making Captain."  
  
"You too. Listen Harry, could I have a word?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Harry stood up and followed Cho out of the Great Hall.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"The ceiling mostly. Look, I'm sorry I acted a bit harshly last year."  
  
"Forget it, I should've been more understanding."  
  
"I was wondering if you'd fancy...you know, going out sometime."  
  
This obviously was not what Harry had been expecting.  
  
"Uh...Yeah sure."  
  
"Will you come with me for a minute?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Cho led Harry up the staircase and along the first corridor. She smiled at the puzzled look on Harry's face as she led him up another set of stairs. They came to a painting and Cho told it the password. Harry's ears weren't working properly so he missed it. The painting swung open and left a gaping hole in the wall. Cho went inside and Harry followed.  
  
"Harry, you know I like you, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, I like you too."  
  
The candelabra lit up the whole room; Harry looked around in amazement at the decor.  
  
"I used to come here with Cedric."  
  
Harry knew what was coming. Sure enough Cho broke down in tears and Harry found himself holding her to him. She cried into his shoulder before looking up and smiling.  
  
"Here I go again, I promised myself I wouldn't. I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be."  
  
Harry brushed a strand on jet-black hair out of Cho's face. She took a deep breath and sighed. Harry's fingers touched her cheek and he smiled at her.  
  
"You're more beautiful now than I ever realized." He breathed.  
  
Their faces were inches apart. Harry could see her eyes shining with tears.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said.  
  
"Harry."  
  
"Seriously, I have to go."  
  
Harry left Cho standing in the middle of the room as he pushed the painting aside and left the room.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione shouted to his as the students swarmed the Entrance Hall.  
  
"Hermione, anything else I should know about?"  
  
"What? Oh, no, Dumbledore just told us to go to bed."  
  
"Right."  
  
The Gryffindors broke away from the Hufflepuffs at the fifth floor. Tally looked around in awe as the paintings moved into each other's frames and waves at the Gryffindors. Harry noticed her amazement and smiled.  
  
"It's great isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, enchanting."  
  
The Gryffindors approached the Fat Lady.  
  
"Password?"  
  
"Wolfs bane." Hermione said.  
  
The portrait swung forward and Harry found himself looking at the Gryffindor common room he loved so much. People piled into the common room. Harry and Tally pushed their way inside and Harry looked at the roaring fire. The squishy armchairs were full with students in their usual groups of two or three. Harry led Tally over to the doorway of the boy's dormitory, where they could talk in private.  
  
"Tally I need to ask you something."  
  
"What would that be?"  
  
"Did you throw that kid out of the window?"  
  
"No way! I'd never do a thing like that, I mean I know I'm related to the Malfoys and they might all be like that but I'd never...Never even dream of doing something as horrible as that. She was my best friend."  
  
"Was?"  
  
"After the rumor got round that it was me, she didn't want to know. It's not as if she's dead, even if she dropped fifty odd feet."  
  
"Right, just wanted to make sure."  
  
"You can trust me Harry, I'm not like that."  
  
She looked up into Harry's green eyes. He felt as though she was searching him to see if he trusted her. He took her hand and smiled.  
  
"Don't worry I trust you." Tally smiled.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow." She said.  
  
"Yeah, see you."  
  
Harry let her hand go and walked up the stairs to his dormitory. His trunk and belongings had been brought up and his Firebolt was lying on his bed. Opening his trunk he pulled out two pieces of parchment.  
  
Hedwig hooted from the windowsill and soared onto Harry's bed. He stroked her stomach and wrote a quick note to Madame Hooch, the flying teacher.  
  
Madame Hooch,  
Please let Gryffindor's have the Quidditch pitch this Saturday and Sunday for tryouts.  
  
Harry Potter.  
  
"Hedwig, could you send this to Madame Hooch for me?" Hedwig hooted softly in reply.  
  
Harry gave her the note, which she clasped in her beak, and took her over to the window.  
  
"I'll have a treat for you when you get back."  
  
Hedwig bobbed her head and took off. Harry watched her out of sight and turned back to his bed and picked up his quill again.  
  
Quidditch Tryouts  
  
Anyone wishing to try out for the new Gryffindor team, report to the Quidditch Pitch at seven thirty on...  
  
Hedwig hooted as she landed on the bed with Madame Hooch's reply. He smiled as he read the letter and fished a few owl treats out of his trunk.  
  
"Thank you." He whispered to Hedwig as she ruffled her feathers, nipped his hand affectionately, took the treats and flew out of the window again.  
  
Turning back to his notice he wrote down the last few details.  
  
...Saturday. The team will be chosen over night and all those who tried out will report to the pitch same time Sunday for the results. Team practice starts Sunday at noon; those chosen will have to be there.  
  
He reread his letter and smiled. The sixth year boys filed into the dormitory. Harry passed them all quickly and ran down the stone stairs two at a time and jumped down the last three steps. Pinning the notice to the board, he stepped back and read it through again. Nodding he went back up to his dormitory and the fire in the common room died out. 


	11. Tryouts

"Harry get up!"  
  
Harry rolled over and pulled the covers up to his ears.  
  
"Harry Potter, get up this instant!"  
  
He pulled the covers over his ears until only the tips of his hair were showing.  
  
"Harry, if you don't get up, you'll miss the tryouts!"  
  
Harry sat bolt upright and looked up at Hermione. She tutted and muttered something. Harry looked at the grandfather clock and saw she was right. It was seven forty. He rolled out of bed and pulled his Quidditch robes on.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
Harry only then realized he was trying to put his shoes on his hands. After another five minutes of dawdling. Harry picked up his broomstick and walked over to the door. Only it wasn't the door he walked to.  
  
"Harry you idiot!"  
  
He had fallen out of the window. Holding onto his broomstick he felt it level out and slow to a halt. Kicking his leg over the handle he smiled and zoomed over to the Quidditch pitch. The Gryffindors were all sitting on the grass chatting.  
  
"Don't just sit there, get on your brooms and go!" Harry shouted as he zoomed over the pitch.  
  
The Gryffindors followed his order and got on their brooms. Harry saw two red heads, one heading strait for the goal, and Tally.  
  
"Hang on, come back down here." Harry bellowed as broomsticks zoomed off in all directions.  
  
He restored order quickly enough and soon all the players had written their names down on a piece of parchment Harry had found in his pocket.  
  
"Right we have..." He counted the names on the list. "Thirteen of you and me, that makes fourteen. Split into groups of seven and choose your positions."  
  
The players did this quickly. Harry counted them up into a group of seven and a group of six. Harry pulled out the Quaffle and held it under his arm.  
  
"Beaters, collect your bats."  
  
Two boys off each team collected the bats and took off.  
  
"Chasers in the air, Keepers and Seeker, off you go."  
  
Harry watched all the players zoom into the normal Quidditch starting position. He flew into the air himself and handed a luminous armband to each member on one team. Pulling one over his own robes, he landed again and kicked the box holding the other three balls. The two Bludgers zoomed out of the box. Harry pulled out the Snitch and let it go.  
  
Blowing on his whistle, Harry threw the Quaffle in the air and zoomed off around the perimeter of the pitch. There was some superb passing between the players on one team. Harry noticed Hermione turn up and look at the list. Ron dived for the Quaffle and caught it. Harry smiled and watched Hermione scribble something on another piece of parchment.  
  
Narrowly missing a Bludger to the head, Harry soared strait up and circled the pitch like a hawk. Noticing a glint of gold, he went into a spectacular dive. Seeing the other teams Seeker he put on an extra burst of speed and pulled up just as he was about to hit the grass, the Snitch held tightly in his hand. Both teams clapped and landed on the ground.  
  
"That was some excellent Quidditch!" Harry smiled. "It'll take me a while to pick the best, but I want you all to know, the team I'll be picking will beat all the other houses with flying colours! Now all of you into the showers!"  
  
Harry got back onto his broomstick and flew into the stand where Hermione was sitting.  
  
"You've been taking notes?"  
  
"Yep. I thought it might help."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome, I didn't realize Tally had a broom."  
  
"Neither did I."  
  
"Go get changed, we better start choosing, by the look of them, it'll be quite hard."  
  
"I know. Thanks."  
  
Harry got back on his Firebolt and flew into the changing room.  
  
"This is a lot harder than I though." Harry said, some three hours later.  
  
"We have the Seeker, that's you, what about the other boy?"  
  
"He can be reserve Seeker, for when I leave." Harry smiled.  
  
"Good idea. Or if you have an accident, he can take your place. You'll have to train him up a bit to get him up to scratch."  
  
"Yep. Ron's Keeper?"  
  
"Yes, but the other Keeper wasn't half bad." Hermione said reasonably.  
  
"I know but we have to keep open minds, who was better, from the stands?"  
  
"Ron."  
  
"Right."  
  
Hermione wrote Ron's name under Harry's.  
  
"Beaters. That boy, Sean, he was really good, the best I've seen since Fred and George left."  
  
"Put him down, and the other one, Michael. He was excellent." Harry said quickly.  
  
Hermione nodded and wrote down both boys' names.  
  
"Chasers."  
  
"Ginny, definitely, and Tally, she was absolutely amazing."  
  
"I know, we need another one."  
  
"What about that first year, the blonde one?"  
  
"Carrie? Yes she was good."  
  
Hermione wrote down Carrie's name on the list and looked at it.  
  
"Keeper, Ron Weasley. Seeker, Harry Potter, also team captain. Chasers, Ginny Weasley, Tally Malfoy and Carrie Villers. Beaters, Sean Jenkins and Michael Shaw." She read out.  
  
"Best send this to Madame Hooch."  
  
"I'll make a copy of it first."  
  
"Good idea. I'm going to bed, I'll see you in the morning."  
  
"Night Harry."  
  
"Night Hermione." 


	12. The New Team

Obviously there's a little confusion into what's actually going on here. Kai, half dragon, I was on an inspirational high and he sorta just happened. He's sixteen and decided it was time to get some help to become human. The Hogwarts Express was intercepted purely to get to Harry before he reached Hogwarts where Dumbledore could keep an eye on him. The teachers don't put on a worried front to the students, as they want to keep the students calm about the matter. I hope that clears up most of it, sorry for any confusion.  
  
STORY:  
  
Harry was up bright and early on Sunday. In fact he was up at half past one thinking of ideas to coach his team into being the best Hogwarts had ever seen. He was sitting in the common room with the diagram of the pitch used by Angelina and Wood before him. The tiny players all had new names and Harry was poking them around the pitch with his wand making notes on a piece of parchment.  
  
"Harry?" Hermione asked, at around half past five.  
  
"Hi Hermione!" Harry said cheerfully. "You wanna get some breakfast?"  
  
"Yeah, sure, I'll go get changed, wait here."  
  
Harry nodded and Hermione disappeared back into the girl's dormitory. Harry only had to wait a few minutes before Hermione came running back down the stairs and the pair went down to breakfast.  
  
"Harry? How long have you been up?"  
  
"Since half one. I'm full of energy, well I'll be better once I've got some food in my stomach."  
  
"Are you feeling all right?" She asked with a look of awe on her face.  
  
"Yep, just fine thanks. What about you?"  
  
"Oh, fine."  
  
Harry led Hermione past the Slytherin table, both the Quidditch teams were up.  
  
"What's going on here Malfoy." Harry shouted down the table to the Slytherin captain.  
  
"We're starting practice in half an hour Potter." Malfoy replied coldly.  
  
"I don't think so, we've booked the pitch all day today."  
  
"Well Professor Snape's given me permission."  
  
"Tough, I've had permission since Thursday from Madame Hooch."  
  
"What's wrong Harry?" Some of the Gryffindors had joined the debate.  
  
"They've double booked the pitch for today." Harry said hotly.  
  
"Get used to it Potter, we're practicing while you are."  
  
Harry turned away from the Slytherin table and looked at his team.  
  
"Right, guys, change of plan. We'll be practicing on the front lawn. I'm sure Hermione can conjure up a few goals."  
  
"Sure." Hermione nodded.  
  
The Slytherins looked at each other and laughed. Hermione shot Malfoy and evil look and smiled at Harry.  
  
"Come on guys, let's get this pitch made up."  
  
The Gryffindors cheered and trooped out onto the front lawn. Sean and Michael went to get the balls while Harry broke the news of who had got into the team.  
  
"Chasers, Ginny Weasley, Tally Malfoy and Carrie Villers. The other chaser tryouts, we had a tough choice, but there's always next year."  
  
The three other chasers departed and went back into the castle, to a warm round of applause from the students left. Sean and Michael came back only to find they had been chosen as the teams Beaters.  
  
"Keeper, Ron Weasley, and then Seeker, is me, although, we'll need you as reserve Seeker, Ash."  
  
"Great! Thanks." Ash smiled.  
  
Hermione had set up the Quidditch rings just as the Slytherins walked out of the Entrance Hall. Tally busied herself looking into the box as they passed, laughing and jeering at the Gryffindors.  
  
"Hey, Potty, your teams the shabbiest I've seen!" Malfoy shouted.  
  
"Don't rise." Hermione muttered in his ear.  
  
"What's wrong Mudblood, sticking up for Potty? You two going out of something."  
  
"Even if we were Malfoy, I'd must rather go out with Harry that a slimy git like you." Hermione said in the same sickly sweet voice Umbridge.  
  
Malfoy stopped laughing and his eyes narrowed. He pulled out his wand and took a step towards Hermione.  
  
"Impedimenta!"  
  
Malfoy was knocked backwards off his feet. Crabbe and Goyle looked down at Malfoy and then at the spell caster.  
  
"Stupid, annoying cousin." Tally muttered, putting her wand back into her pocket. "Get up Draco, you faker."  
  
"Stupefy!" Malfoy shouted.  
  
The spell missed Tally but hit Hermione full force in the chest. She crumpled over backwards and lay on the ground still as a statue.  
  
"Oh very clever Malfoy." Harry shouted, his famous temper rising again.  
  
"Finite Incanatem." Ron muttered pointing his wand at Hermione.  
  
He helped Hermione to her feet and took a step towards Malfoy but to his amazement Harry put out his arm to stop him.  
  
"Get a move on Malfoy, otherwise I'll have to accidentally let Ron at you." Harry smiled wickedly.  
  
"Fine. Come on boys, let's go."  
  
Malfoy got up and let his team to the Quidditch pitch. Hermione cursed something colourful at the back of his head. Harry and the Gryffindors just laughed as they let the balls go and flew off to their positions around the pitch.  
  
By midday students from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were watching them play. Harry pulled a number of spectacular dives but only caught the Snitch once. After that he began teaching Ash all his knowledge about being a Seeker.  
  
"Follow me." Harry said.  
  
Harry dove towards the ground, closely followed by Ash. Just before he hit the ground he pulled the broom handle up and leveled off about three feet above the ground. Ash's broom was shaking as he stopped next to Harry.  
  
"When you dive, before you pull up again, make sure you lean closer to the broom, it stops it shaking."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Go on then, show me."  
  
Ash nodded and zoomed up towards the clouds. He circled the pitch once before diving just as spectacularly as Harry did. He leant into the broom and pulled up, the broom not showing any signs of even the smallest glitch.  
  
"Very nice!" Harry shouted over the storm of applause. "You'll make a great Seeker."  
  
"Thanks!" Ash said, flicking his head slightly to get some hair out of his eyes.  
  
"Now, when you see the Snitch, always dive in the opposite direction, it confuses the other Seeker, unless he's seen it first, then you just go for it. Otherwise change direction half way through the dive and go after it."  
  
"I've seen you do that before. In the match against Hufflepuff a couple of years ago."  
  
"Yeah. That was the main idea." Harry said smiling.  
  
"Uh huh, I wondered what you were doing."  
  
"So was I. I didn't expect it to work so well."  
  
After another hour of practice, Harry's stomach told him it was time for lunch.  
  
"Hit the showers guys." He shouted grabbing the Quaffle just after Tally had thrown it.  
  
There was a groan of protest but the Gryffindors all landed and headed for the showers.  
  
"I've never seen a team groan when the captains said that." Hermione said spectacularly looking at the retreating backs of the Gryffindor team.  
  
"I know, like I said, this might just be the best team Hogwarts has ever seen." Harry said smiling at Hermione. 


	13. Quidditch

September went at lightning speed. October was melting away quicker than Harry had anticipated. He found himself caring more about Quidditch than his schoolwork. It was the morning on the match, Harry and Hermione was busy waking his team up.  
  
"Okay team, this is it. I don't want to make you feel pressurized so just give it your best, that's enough. Now, breakfast!"  
  
The team cheered and hitched their broomsticks over their shoulders. Walking down to the Grand Hall in their Quidditch robes was most exciting for all the players. Hermione was stunned by the gleaming smiles on all their faces. When she pointed this out to Harry he laughed and put his arm around her.  
  
"This team will be the best." He whispered in her ear.  
  
"I know, they have you as their captain." Hermione replied, blushing slightly.  
  
Harry was amazed to see most of the school was already eating breakfast. The Slytherins weren't in their robes and shot evil looks at Harry and the Gryffindors as they passed.  
  
"You all right Kai?" Harry shouted over the remaining two house tables.  
  
Kai looked slightly peaky. He didn't look up when Harry called to him instead he slumped over the table. Hermione and Harry ran over to him and together they pulled him upright. Ron gave his broom to Tally and helped Harry and Hermione heave Kai towards the exit.  
  
"This is taking too long!" Hermione said. She pulled out her wand and conjured up a stretcher.  
  
Hermione led him out of the hall and Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table. The team crowded around him, all looking upset about Kai.  
  
"My guess is the Slytherins did something to him. That means we have to kick ass out of that pitch. Don't show them any mercy, you won't receive any, just don't break the rules."  
  
"Hey Potty what's up with Scales?" Malfoy sneered.  
  
"You should know Malfoy," Harry said sarcastically. "We're going to wipe that pitch with your disgraceful team."  
  
"Don't think so Potty. My cousin, the Weasels and first years? All my team are fourth years of above. Way stronger and more ruthless."  
  
"My team don't play with strength, we play with dignity and respect for our opponents. You'll soon learn how much good that'll do."  
  
A bell sounded somewhere and Harry shoved Malfoy back to his table. The Gryffindors mounted their brooms there and then and flew out of the Entrance Hall, led by Harry.  
  
Sitting in the changing room, Harry looked at his team. They were all laughing and joking except Tally, who was standing in the doorway looking into the crowds.  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
"It's not the match I'm worried about."  
  
"Then what is it?"  
  
"Knowing Draco, he's probably telling his team to literally kill us."  
  
"You're not worried about his are you? He's Seeker for his team, he can't touch you."  
  
"He'll find a way, to do something to me or the person I care about more than anything."  
  
A whistle blew and Harry looked back at his team. They were all assembling behind him, still smiling.  
  
"Let's do this!" Harry said loudly.  
  
The team cheered again and followed Harry out onto the pitch. Madame Hooch was waiting in the center of the pitch for both teams. The Slytherins approached, clad in green robes, embellished with the snake.  
  
"Captains, shake hands." Madame Hooch ordered.  
  
Harry stepped towards Draco and grasped his hand. Madame Hooch was satisfied and blew her whistle again. Harry kicked off followed by his teammates and stopped about twenty feet above the game. The Snitch was released, followed by the Bludgers and finally Madame Hooch threw the Quaffle into the air.  
  
"Gryffindor in possession. Chaser Tally Malfoy, she dodges two Slytherin Chasers and throws expertly to Ginny Weasley. Heading rapidly towards the goal. Bludger aimed at Weasley, she throws the Quaffle to Villers before getting the Bludger full force in the stomach. Villers passes to Malfoy, Malfoy shoots – SHE SCORES! Ten points to Gryffindor!"  
  
Harry zoomed once around the pitch and saw Malfoy dive. Looking at where he was diving, he couldn't see any sign of the Snitch.  
  
"Malfoy of Slytherin just gone into a spectacular dive. What's Harry doing! He's looking the wrong way!"  
  
"Harry! The Snitch!" Tally gasped, flying towards him  
  
"He hasn't seen it! He's trying to distract me." Harry shouted back. "Get back to the game!"  
  
Tally nodded and dived back down to assist Carrie and Ginny. A whistle was blown and then Harry saw it. Tally was falling headfirst towards the round. He dived, urging the broom faster. He wasn't going to make it. The ground was hard; she'd crack her head open. Harry was gaining on the falling Gryffindor.  
  
"Come on!" Harry shouted at his broom.  
  
Five foot from the ground, four, three, two. Harry's broom put on a last minute burst of speed. He leveled out with the unconscious Tally in his arms. Blood was trickling down her face. He jumped of his broom and left it hovering mid air. Running over to the Gryffindor changing rooms, he lay her down on one of the benches and moved some hair out of her closed eyes.  
  
"You said something like this would happen. I'm sorry I didn't believe you." Harry whispered to her.  
  
He pushed back her fringe and looked at where the blood was oozing out of her head. His fingers were wet with blood. He knelt next to her until Ron and Hermione dragged him away so Madame Pomfrey could get to her.  
  
"It's all right mate, she'll be okay." Ron said quietly.  
  
"We called for a time out. How is she?" Ginny asked appearing at Harry's side.  
  
"She's bleeding badly. Concussed and unconscious. What else do you want?" Harry replied angrily.  
  
"It was that Crabbe, he hit the Bludger at her." Carrie whispered.  
  
Harry struggled to get back onto the pitch. He pulled away from Hermione but three more people grabbed his arm and managed to restrain him.  
  
"Let me GO!" Harry shouted.  
  
"Harry, what good will it do?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I'll kill him!" Harry yelled.  
  
He wrenched his arm away from Ron and dragged the three Gryffindors clinging onto his right arm into the doorway to the pitch. Professor Dumbledore appeared in the doorway and looked sternly at Harry. Harry tried to get up the stairs; the whole team were now restraining him.  
  
"Harry, please calm down." Dumbledore said quietly.  
  
"Why? You seen what he's done to her?" Harry shouted struggling again to get onto the pitch.  
  
"Harry if you don't calm down I will make you." Dumbledore said a little louder.  
  
"Let me GO!" Harry shouted again.  
  
"Good gracious Potter!" Professor McGonagall gasped appearing next to Dumbledore.  
  
"Harry. If you do not calm down this minute I will cancel this match." Dumbledore raised his voice.  
  
"Albus, what shall we do, he's clearly very distressed about this." McGonagall asked.  
  
"We shall postpone the match until further notice. The score shall stay as it is but the match shall be moved to a later date."  
  
"And of the Slytherins?"  
  
"Mister Crabbe shall be disqualified and will not be able to compete in the rest of this years matches. I cannot allow him on the pitch if he is a danger to the players."  
  
Harry had been forced onto a bench. He had his head in his hands and was muttering to himself. Ron was trying to talk to him but Harry was ignoring him. Every now and then Harry would glance at the unconscious form of the Gryffindor slumped on the bench opposite him.  
  
"Look Harry! She's waking up!" Sean said in a bid to get Harry to talk to them.  
  
Sure enough, once Harry had flicked his hair out of his eyes he saw Tally stir. Standing up he tried to get through the barrier of his team.  
  
"Will you just move!" He shouted.  
  
Forcing his way through them he knelt once more at Tally's side and smiled as she tilted her head towards him.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Harry asked her quietly.  
  
"A...little shaky..." She managed to whisper. "And...my head...it hurts..."  
  
"It will do, but don't worry, you're going to be fine."  
  
"What...what happened?"  
  
"The match's been postponed. You took a Bludger to the head."  
  
"Are we...winning?"  
  
Harry nodded. He was surprised to see tears appear in her watery blue eyes.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I knew...this would happen...I knew it..."  
  
"I'm sorry for not taking you seriously."  
  
"I remember falling...then it all goes blank...I don't...remember hitting the ground."  
  
"That's because you didn't hit the ground, I caught you just before you would have done."  
  
"Then...you're a...hero." Tally whispered closing her eyes again. "Thank you." She murmured.  
  
Harry had left Tally, hours later, in the hospital wing. Kai was either sleeping rather heavily or he was unconscious himself in the bed next to her. He made his way down to the Grand Hall and updated the anxious team of her condition.  
  
"She's okay." He said.  
  
The Gryffindors clapped and cheered loudly, causing everyone in the hall to look oddly at them. Professor McGonagall came over to hush them but Harry couldn't help but notice the smile on her face.  
  
"And Kai?" Hermione asked when everyone was chatting loudly.  
  
"He's either a very heavy sleeper or he's unconscious." Harry said quietly.  
  
"Poor guy. I wonder what happened to him." Hermione said more to herself than to the others.  
  
"Maybe we should go and ask Madame Pomfrey if she's found out why he's ill." Ron answered.  
  
They agreed and stood up. Walking past the jeering Slytherins they left the Hall and headed to the hospital wing.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey?" Hermione asked, entering the wing first.  
  
"Where is she?" Harry asked.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey?" Hermione said a little louder. "Oh my god, Harry get a teacher!"  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Just go!"  
  
Harry nodded and left the room. Ron looked at where Hermione was pointing. Madame Pomfrey was slumped over one of the beds, looking extremely ill and most definitely unconscious.  
  
"What happened to her? Do you think she's got the same thing as Kai?" Ron asked.  
  
"I'm...I'm not sure...It looks like they've been poisoned."  
  
Harry skidded back into view followed by Professors McGonagall, Dumbledore and Snape. They looked at Hermione and Ron and then at Madame Pomfrey.  
  
"We need to find out the source of this outbreak, soon enough the whole school will be infected." Professor McGonagall whispered.  
  
"I'll get to finding an antidote." Snape said.  
  
Dumbledore simply levitated Madame Pomfrey onto a bed. He told the three Gryffindors to leave, and to take Tally with them.  
  
"It's not safe here, we don't want her contracting the same virus."  
  
Harry nodded and he picked her up and left the hospital wing, followed closely by Hermione and Ron. 


	14. Potions Disaster

Harry stumbled across Cho no more than seven times the next day. Harry excused himself from talking to her for long by saying he was late for a class or he had to get to the library to do some homework. Every time a pang of guilt filled his chest as he left her standing alone clenching books closely to her chest.  
  
"Harry? Are you all right?" Hermione whispered in their Potions lesson.  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." Harry replied, snapping out of his daydream.  
  
He had been thinking about Kai and Madame Pomfrey. He had decided at the end of the lesson to stay behind and ask Snape if he had found the antidote.  
  
"Harry! You've forgotten this!" Hermione quickly grabbed his hand, stopping him from pouring the wrong ingredient into his cauldron.  
  
Adding the right ingredient. Hermione cast a suspicious eye at Harry and then at Tally on his other side. Once Hermione had looked away, Tally took a deep breath and her fingers found her way to his hand. He looked down at their entwined fingers and smiled.  
  
"Potter, bring your potion up here." Snape said coldly.  
  
"Yes sir." Harry replied automatically. Tally's hand reclined back into her lap and she stirred her potion half-heartedly.  
  
Pouring some of his potion into a cup he took it up to Professor Snape and watched as he examined it.  
  
"You may not have noticed Potter, but this is the potion needed to revive Madame Pomfrey and the friend of yours."  
  
"Is it really? I didn't notice."  
  
"I didn't think you would. On the other hand, your potion is useless. I clearly stated to add the Armadillo Bile before adding the Wolfs Bane."  
  
Harry looked at his potion and smiled.  
  
"I did." He said.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Snape replied sharply.  
  
"I did." Harry repeated, looking into the steely black eyes that were now glinting dangerously.  
  
"And what makes you think you are correct?"  
  
"Because I didn't put it in. Hermione did." Harry said, he could help but smile.  
  
"Granger, is this true?" Snape asked shooting his evil glare at her.  
  
"Yes sir." Hermione said quietly, still stirring her own potion.  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor. I have told you countless times not to do other people's work for them."  
  
Harry looked at Hermione and then at Snape. Without realizing what he was doing, his hand reached out for his cup and he tipped it over Snape's greasy head. The Gryffindors in the room were cracking up in laughter.  
  
Tally looked at Harry with the same expression Hermione used so often, a mix of admiration and horror. Hermione and Ron both had the same expressions, but Ron could help but laugh with the others.  
  
"Fifty points from Gryffindor! And a weeks worth -"  
  
"Detentions don't work for me Snivelly." Harry said loudly before Snape could finish dishing out detentions.  
  
"What did you call me?" Snape's pupils narrowed.  
  
"Wasn't that your nickname? Or was it Snivellus?" Harry asked him. He had touched a nerve.  
  
"You – You're every bit as arrogant as your father!"  
  
"Like you've told me so often, when will you tire Snivelly?" Harry asked, sounding identical to his father.  
  
"Your father was a -" Harry pointed his wand directly at Snape's greasy forehead.  
  
"I dare you to finish that sentence."  
  
Snape's voice faltered. He began cursing under his breath. The bell went and Harry turned to leave.  
  
"Oh and Snivelly, wash your mouth out, that amount of cursing can't set a good example for your Slytherins. Scourgify!"  
  
Pink bubbles issued from Snapes mouth, choking him. Hermione gasped and shouted the counter-curse.  
  
"Harry, move!" Ron grabbed his arm.  
  
"You're identical to your father in more ways than one Potter! Arrogance is just one of them."  
  
Harry knew exactly what to do. He pointed his wand over his shoulder. He looked back and laughed with the Gryffindors. Snape was hanging upside down, his robes falling over his face, showing a pair of dirty grey underwear.  
  
"Mudbloods might be a disagree to Pure bloods Snivelly, but my mother was kind hearted, you're the arrogant one, she stopped my father from kicking your ass into orbit." Harry shouted as Ron dragged his around a corner.  
  
"Harry why the hell did you do that? He's going to go to Dumbledore! You'll get expelled for sure!" Hermione shouted at him.  
  
"Calm down! God blimey Hermione, you need to take a chill pill! My father taught me how to do that! Wasn't it hilarious?"  
  
"Not saying it wasn't funny Harry, but think about it. You're making it worse for yourself." Ron said gravely.  
  
"How could your father teach you that?" Hermione asked suspiciously.  
  
Harry laughed and decided it might be time to tell them about what he had seen in Snapes Pensieve.  
  
"He WHAT?" Ron laughed half an hour later.  
  
He, Harry, Hermione and Tally were sitting under the beech tree, Harry had seen in the Pensieve.  
  
"Right here." Harry replied.  
  
"Harry, did he?" Hermione asked seriously.  
  
"I don't know, Snape pulled me out before I could see."  
  
"Harry! That's hilarious!" Ron gasped clutching his side.  
  
"Ron! You're a Prefect!"  
  
"So are you but you didn't stop Harry."  
  
"Neither did Malfoy. That's what puzzles me."  
  
"Hermione, you think too much, just give it a rest will you?" Harry asked her.  
  
"Easy for you to say, you never think."  
  
"Careful Hermione, Harry might flip you upside down and threaten to pull your pants off." Ron warned.  
  
Every one laughed, even Hermione. The Oak doors slammed open and Snape marched out towards them.  
  
"Don't do anything harsh Harry." Hermione whispered.  
  
Every one was looking at them. Snape stopped right in front of Harry, his pupils merely slits, breathing heavily with his teeth bared.  
  
"Didn't think you come back here after what happened." Harry said, looking up at Snapes chalk white face.  
  
Snape pulled out his wand. Harry eyed it and stood up.  
  
"Hex me. I know you want to." Harry dared him.  
  
"Believe me Potter, I've never wanted to do this more in my whole life."  
  
"Then stop gassing and get on with it." Harry said faking a yawn.  
  
Snape shot a spell Harry had never heard of at him. Harry laughed when the get of poisonous green stopped in mid air and shot backwards at Snape. He fell to the ground not moving at all. Hermione gasped as Snape's skin turned a nasty shade of blue. Ice crystals covered his greasy hair and spread to the shocked look on his face.  
  
"Hermione?" Harry asked not taking his eyes off Snape.  
  
"I don't know! Harry we have to do something!"  
  
The ice was spreading quickly over Snape's body.  
  
"Heat. Hermione flames!" Ron shouted.  
  
"Right."  
  
Hermione conjured up her blue flames and placed them around Snapes body. The ice began to melt, but so did Snapes body.  
  
"Put it out!" Tally shouted.  
  
The flames died instantly. Snapes nose was melted badly and his left temple had nearly disintegrated completely.  
  
"Get him up to the hospital wing." Hermione said.  
  
"Uh, no thanks, I might catch something." Harry replied.  
  
"Oh fine."  
  
Hermione conjured up a stretcher and rolled Snapes lifeless frozen body onto it. She levitated it into the air and left Ron, Hermione and Tally standing under the beech tree. 


	15. Truth And Lies

Heh, seems I went a little extreme with the last chapter eh? Think of it this way, Snape wanted to test just how far Harry would go. I'm not quite sure what sort of happened when I wrote that, maybe I'll re-write it, not going quite as far...I dunno.

STORY:

"Professor Snape is unable to teach you Potions, due to some unfortunate circumstances." Their supply said, next Potions lesson.

"What would those circumstances be Professor?" Malfoy asked.

"He seems to have caught a rather nasty cold."

Harry, Ron and Tally suppressed giggles. Hermione nudged Ron in the ribs to make him stop and shot an evil look at the other two.

"However, that doesn't mean we won't be making Potions. I believe you're working in reviving potions?"

"Excuse me Professor, can't we do something more interesting?" Harry asked.

"Mr. Potter, I have had strict instructions to do the work Professor Snape has planned."

"Yes but, I'm pretty sure if we do something else than what he's planned, we can show him how good our Potions has become for when he comes back."

"Good point Potter. Professor Snape should be back in a few months. What type of thing would you have in mind?"

"What about Polyjuice Potion? Apparently it's N.E.W.T standard work, but I'm sure we'll all be able to master it." Hermione said, before Harry had a chance.

"Good idea Miss..."

"Granger."

"All right, I'll be back in a minute with copy's of the recipe for Polyjuice Potion. Talk quietly amongst yourselves until I get back."

The Professor left the dungeon and Harry turned to talk to Dean and Seamus behind him.

"Dean, what's that spell you use to do those paintings?" Harry asked.

"That's an easy you, just say the name of the colour to your wand and wave it about. Why?"

"No reason, thanks."

Harry turned around and winked at Tally. They both said a colour to the tip of their wands and waved their wands around. Blue paint spurted out of the end of Harry's wand and hit Malfoy in the back of the head. Tally's pink paint hit Crabbe and Goyle before squirting onto the wall in front of them.

"Harry! Tally! STOP!" Hermione shouted.

"Try it!" Harry replied.

Soon the Gryffindors were shooting different coloured paint at the Slytherins and all over the walls. Dean was busy painting a brilliant picture of a lion with a snake in its mouth on the front wall above Snape's desk, the Gryffindors carefully aiming their wands away from his art.

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?" The Professor bellowed.

She didn't see the mess because Hermione quickly muttered the counter cures and all the paint was gone before the Professor got to the bottom of the stairs. The Gryffindors were all seated and talking quietly whilst the Slytherins were laughing and pointing at the lion Dean had painted.

"Everyone point their wands at Malfoy and shoot a different colour at him." Hermione whispered.

Malfoy was covered in paint within seconds, Hermione had performed a charm that switched the snake and the lion around, so there was a small lion inside a snake's mouth. The Professor gasped and dropped her papers. She immediately looked at Malfoy who was still covered in different coloured paint and began yelling at him.

"NEVER IN ALL MY LIFE HAVE I SEEN SUCH A DISTASTEFUL DISGUSTING PAINTING! MR MALFOY YOU WILL STAY BEHIND AFTER LESSONS ARE OVER AND REMOVE THIS! MAYBE WE'LL THROW IN A FEW DETENTIONS AS WELL!" She shouted.

Malfoy and the Slytherins were gawking and trying to tell her it was the Gryffindors but she heard none of it.

"I clearly remember Slytherin being a snake? And Gryffindor a lion, so why would the Gryffindors do that if a lion is their picture. If you don't stop telling fibs I will give you all detentions."

The bell rang and everyone left the class except Malfoy. Harry stopped at the door just long enough to hear her shouting at Malfoy not to use magic.

"Hermione that was a great spell! I could kiss you!" harry said catching up with her, Ron and Tally.

"'Fraid not mate, she's taken." Ron said, beaming.

"You? When were you planning to tell me?" Harry asked in a fake annoyed voice.

"We wanted to tell you at the right moment, and that seemed like it."

"Hey look, there's a notice!" Tally said, pointing at the piece of parchment pinned onto the notice board.

Slytherin Vs Gryffindor.

New match date: Twenty Second November.

"Harry! That's a week away." Tally gasped.

"We'll be all right. Crabbe's been disqualified." Harry said happily.

"Since when? Tally asked.

"Well, when you were calming down at the Quidditch match, I pulled Hermione aside and asked her."

"That's great, you two suit each other." Harry was still smiling.

"Harry, you and Cho, what's going on, she seems really unhappy at the moment?" Hermione asked.

"She wants me to go out with her, but I'm not sure I want to, but then again, she has been there for me."

"Like when?" Tally wondered, looking at Harry.

"Well in out fourth year, she was supportive of me even when everyone else wasn't."

"And?" Ron asked.

"Harry, you should talk to her, it's obvious that's why she's upset, you've been brushing her off lately." Hermione said.

"Yeah, I should. When's the next Hogsmeade weekend, I'll get her something."

"That's a great idea, I know this shop that does this really nice jewelry, I'll show you it."

"Next Hogsmeade is just after the next match, twenty fifth." Ron said.

"Great. Thanks Hermione, that's a great idea, Ron you wanna come?"

"We'll all go." Tally said happily.

"In the meantime, assemble the team, we gotta get some practice in."

"I'll get Madame Hooch to sign the pitch to us."

"No need Hermione, we'll use the front lawn again. Hey Sean! Find Michael and get the spare set of Quidditch balls."

"No problem Harry." Sean shouted.

Come on, let's go." Hermione said.

The others nodded and they headed up to Gryffindor tower. Ten minutes later Hermione was sitting under the beech tree watching the Gryffindor team play. The Ravenclaws came out of the Grand Hall. They were dressed in their Quidditch robes and were walking towards the Gryffindors.

"You mind if we have a game Harry?" Cho called up to him.

"Knock yourself out." Harry replied, smiling.

The Ravenclaws were soon mingled with the Gryffindors playing a friendly game of Quidditch. Harry kept close to Cho so they could talk.

"Cho, I'm-"

"Did you know there's been a change of plan, you're not playing the Slytherins."

"We're not?"

"Nope, you're playing us instead."

"How come?"

"Professor Dumbledore decided the Slytherins were being too ruthless. He's banned them all from playing."

Harry laughed and did a loop. He could've hugged Cho there and then if Tally hadn't come over.

"What's up Harry?"

"We're not playing the Slytherins!"

"You're joking."

"Nope." Harry was beaming.

"That's great!"

"I know."

Harry stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. His team stopped and flew towards him.

"We're not playing Slytherin."

There was a murmur of excitement.

"We're playing Ravenclaw instead. Use this time to see their technique, that way we can beat them no worries."

"Good idea."

The team spread out again and resumed play. The Gryffindors held back so that they could all see how the Ravenclaws structured their team. By six o'clock the Gryffindors were sitting in the Grand Hall waiting for dinner.

"Kai wouldn't be able to drink that potion Professor Snape was brewing." Hermione said.

"Why not?" Harry, Ron and Tally said together, the same anxious expression on all of their faces.

"He's not human, not totally human, I mean, because he's part dragon, it might be poisonous to him."

"But if he's a dragon, that means dragons blood runs in his veins, won't that cure him?"

"Good point Harry, it might take months for the dragons blood to work. There might be something though."

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"Well, think of it logically."

"You're the one who does all the logic Hermione."

"Fine, whatever. Dragons blood has magical properties. Right?"

"Right."

"So that means there's got to be something in his blood that will cure him, the only problem is, if the substance is submerged in too much liquid, it won't work."

"Then what?"

"Well, first we have to work out a way to get into the hospital wing."

"I can do that, they usually have a window open or something." Harry said quickly.

"And I've done a first aid course, I know a simple spell that'll extract blood." Tally inquired. "Would that help?"

"That's brilliant. After that I'll need to research the magical properties of Dragon blood and see what would help us."

"I'll help you do that." Ron said.

"We'll get to the research right after dinner." Hermione smiled.

Food appeared on their plates as the remaining students sat down. Harry pulled a plate of chicken wings towards him and piled some onto his plate. A soft hooting told him there was an owl sitting on the back of his chair.

Sure enough as he looked around the tawny owl dropped a rolled up piece of parchment onto his head and took off. He unrolled the parchment and sighed.

"What's up Harry?" Hermione asked looking at the parchment.

"It's a letter from Professor McGonagall. She doesn't think I'm suitable as captain and should stand down."

"What? Why?" Ron asked, accidentally spraying Neville with bits of lettuce. "Sorry Neville."

"'The attitude shown at the last Quidditch match was not acceptable, the standards of a captain is to keep his cool, therefore I think it suitable for someone else to take your position.'" He read.

"No way! You're the best captain Gryffindor's had!" Ron said, pounding his fist on the table, making food within a foot of him leave their plates.

"Ron!" Hermione scolded. "Harry should've known better."

"Oh so now you're going to be against me are you?" Harry said hotly.

"No, of course not, at least you're not being kicked off the team all together."

"That's something I suppose." Harry said, looking back at his plate.

"Oh come off it Harry, we all know you'd die to play." Hermione smiled.

Harry cheered up considerably after that, he, Ron, Hermione and Tally were all chatting about Quidditch.

"They're bringing out new rules. I overheard Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore talking about it at the last match." Hermione said quietly.

"What, they're going to stop Slytherins playing all together, not just this year?"

"No, Harry, they're just making minor adjustments, like the Bludgers aren't allowed to be used to knock players from their brooms, if a player is knocked off their broom the Beater who hit it at them is disqualified." Hermione said. "I didn't hear anymore because everyone was screaming."

"That's why Crabbe was disqualified."

"And the Slytherins were arguing with Professor Dumbledore so they all got disqualified."

"I should've been disqualified for shouting at him." Harry said glumly.

"But you weren't Harry." Ron gawked at Dumbledore.

"Ron, don't be rude." Hermione hissed.

Three more owls dropped notes to Harry that dinnertime. One from Hagrid, saying he'd be leaving to do something for Dumbledore soon and wanted to know if Harry, Ron, Hermione and Kai wanted to come and see him before he left. Another was from Mr. Weasley updating him on a new lead from the Order.

"Listen to this, Harry, we've been told there's been a sighting of You-Know-Who near Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore knows this and has told us to tell you not to panic. Molly's getting a little upset about it but I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, the Ministry has been informed and they'll be sending out a team of experts to asses the situation. Hope you're all well, Arthur."

"Near Hogwarts?" Hermione whispered.

"Does it say anything about the attack on the train?" Tally asked.

"No, nothing." Harry replied.

Hermione took the letter from him and looked at the few inched of extra parchment at the bottom.

"You sure?" Hermione asked him.

"Course, look, nothing." Harry said pointing at the ink.

Hermione shook her head and put the bottom of the parchment next to one of the candles.

"Hermione! What are you doing?"

"Look, here it comes." Hermione whispered excitedly.

Harry saw she was right, there was another note at the bottom of the parchment. Hermione handed the letter back to Harry and watched him read it.

Harry, don't show the others this, the Hogwarts Express was intercepted for two reasons. One was to get to you, obviously but the other might be a little hard for the others to take. We have reports from Moody that You-Know-Who is looking to get his hands on Hermione.

Harry, who was in the middle of drinking some pumpkin juice, choked and looked up at Ron and Hermione.

"Harry? You all right?" Ron asked.

"Yeah fine..."

"You look very pale." Hermione said looking a little anxious.

"I'm okay."

Harry went back to reading the letter.

Like I said before Harry, please don't show this to the others, especially not Hermione. Another thing, mostly Molly's idea, we want you to stay away from Tally Malfoy, as a Malfoy we believe she's spying on you to give information to her uncle and him giving it to You-Know-Who.

Keep what I've said in mind Harry, look after yourself, and the others.

Arthur.

"Let's read it Harry." Ron whispered.

"No, better not." Harry said quickly. "I better get going, Tally, you coming?"

"Huh? Yeah sure." Tally said, standing up.

"We'll see you later."

"Be careful." Hermione warned.

"Yeah, you too." Harry replied.

Tally followed Harry out of the Grand Hall and up the stairs.

"Harry, will you please tell me what's going on?"

"Can't sorry."

"Come on, it can't be that bad."

"Wanna bet?"

"Harry."

"Look I can't tell you, or anyone okay."

"Don't talk to me like that, I'm only trying to help."

"Well, don't bother next time." Harry said turning a corner so quickly he walked strait through Sir Nick.

"Harry, what are you doing? Why aren't you at dinner?"

"Not hungry." Harry replied, walking on.

Tally ran after him and stopped right in front of him.

"Why are you treating me like this?" She shouted at him.

"Why shouldn't I?"

Tears filled her eyes, she looked away. Harry continued up the stairs and told the fat lady the password. Going strait up to the boy's dormitory he found his Firebolt and walked to the window. Thinking of Tally he got on his broom and flew out of the dormitory door. Tally was walking down the stairs again.

Harry zoomed up behind her and pulled her quickly onto the broom in front of him. He looked into her tear-strewn face and smiled. She looked away as Harry flew into a classroom and out of the open window.

The wind tearing his hair away from his eyes, Harry laughed and took his hand from the broom. Brushing Tally's hair out of her face he put his free hand around her waist and smiled. She looked up at him and snuggled into his chest. Feeling her warm breath against his skin.

"Tally, I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She whispered.

The pair flew around the whole castle once and over the entire grounds. Hagrid could be seen pottering around in his pumpkin patch and Harry whistled loudly to him. Tally waved and Hagrid saluted them. They flew back towards the castle and Harry pulled the Firebolt to a halt just in front of an open window to the hospital wing.

"There's someone in there." She whispered.

The pair watched the figure creep towards one of the beds. Pulling one of the curtains back moonlight shone across both people's faces.

"Malfoy?" Harry whispered.

"Kai..."

Malfoy pulled his wand out of his pocket and a yellow fog hovered over Kai's body, before sinking through his skin. Malfoy turned away and did the same to Madame Pomfrey. Looking at the window, Malfoy walked over and peered out of it.

Harry had flown onto the roof just as Malfoy had looked at them. Tally was in a state of shock and Harry literally had to drag her off the broom.

"He's poisoning them?"

"Not poisoning, just keeping them ill enough not to be able to tell anyone it was him."

"But that had to be dark magic."

"The letter was partly about you. Arthur thinks you're acting as a spy for your uncle. So he can give information to Voldemort."

"But why would he do that?"

"You uncle's been working for Voldemort for the last twenty or so years."

"You serious?"

Harry nodded.

"Harry, you know I'd never do a thing like that, don't you?"

"Of course I do. You can't choose which house your in just to act as a spy for Voldemort. Just do say anything to the others okay?"

Tally nodded and shouldered Harry's broom. Harry's hand clasped her shoulder and she looked at him. His face was merely inches from hers. She noticed how vibrant his green eyes were.

"Harry, I..."

Harry's finger pressed against her lips. He kissed her teasingly on both cheeks and took the broomstick, pulling Tally onto it behind him.

"We better get back to the common room. We have to work out a way to stop Malfoy returning to the Hospital wing tomorrow night." Harry said.


End file.
